Come what may
by Alexxya's Secret
Summary: After so many arguments, so many tears, so many denials, a new sunrise brings a new beginning to Yuna and Tidus... But can they get back what they've lost?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I'd really wanted to own Final Fantasy and all the characters, but hey! Square beat me and invented them first. Crap… So I got nothing, zip, nada (sniff sniff)… Just this story ;-)

Summary: Yuna and Tidus were the perfect couple but he left her for an opportunity with the Zanarkand Abes. 2 years have passed and now Tidus returns, expecting everything to be the same. But Yuna's changed. Can she forgive and forget? (Everyone's in it, guys, so enjoy it! And don't forget to R&R)

* * *

_**Prologue**_

_**Even perfection must end someday**_

**(Two years ago)**

The sun was setting across the ocean, spraying its red and orange rays over the city, making it look so quiet and peaceful at the end of the day. There were still people on the beach, teenagers I suppose, enjoying their almost finished holidays, and the calmness of the night was sweetly falling over Besaid. I smiled at that vision of peace.

"Whatcha thinkin'?"

My smile broadened when I heard his words. We were both sitting on the top of a hill, overlooking Besaid. I had my back against his chest, our legs were entwined, his arms were wrapped around my waist and we were resting against a tree of green leaves and fruits. That was our favorite spot to be and I loved to be in his arms like that. It felt so safe and so sweet…

"I'm thinking how much I love these moments", I answered, turning my head to face him. He was looking straight at me, a sweet longing in his adorable blue eyes. "And I'm thinking how much I love you."

He smiled and gave me a tender kiss, caressing my face with his hand. "I love you too, Yuna. More than you could ever know. Come what may, I'll always love you, don't forget that."

I seriously nodded in agreement. That was more than just a statement. It was a promise, it was a vow, and it would seal our destiny, even though I had no idea at that time.

Tidus kissed me again and I threw my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Everything was just so perfect and my only wish was for things to remain the way they were, even though I knew they wouldn't…

"One day we'll get married and we'll have lots of babies", he said, when we finished kissing, cradling me in his arms again.

"You're totally crazy!" I laughed. "Where would we live?"

"Right here in Besaid. In a house next to Rikku's and Lulu's."

"Right here in Besaid?" I repeated, savoring the thought in my mind. That was precisely what I wanted my life to be like. But I knew things weren't so easy and plain as he put them.

"Yeah, of course", he answered, pointing at the city. "Do you know any better place in the whole world to live and raise your children?"

I sadly shook my head and then I asked him, in a trembling voice "Then why are you so eager to leave?"

I could tell that the smile had vanished from his face. His body tensed and his arms pulled me closer to him as if they didn't want to let me go. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again, his voice suddenly serious "I have to go, I have no choice. I've dreamed with this my whole life and now that I have the chance I've gotta take it, no matter what."

"I understand." I murmured "It's just that… it's so hard to see you go, leaving all of us behind."

"I don't wanna leave you, Yuna. None of you. But refusing this opportunity is like throwing the lottery winning ticket into the trash."

"I understand." I repeated, staring blankly ahead.

The lights of the city didn't seem calm and peaceful anymore. They looked empty and lonely and I knew that I was not going to be able to hold on for long without him there to support me. When I had first arrived at Besaid the year before, he had been the only guy who really didn't seem to hang out with me just to win a date or something more. He had been my only true friend, along with his older brother Shuyin and their best friend Wakka. But Tidus had always been different from the other two. He had helped me a lot and he had shown me the good things life has to offer. I hadn't had much experience of life, since I'd been raised in a board school until the age of sixteen, and if it hadn't been for him, perhaps I would've been fooled by people more than once.

Tidus had been my anchor, my friend, my savior… my lover. I'd given him everything I had and I truly believe he did the same. But then, all the perfection was ruined by one single letter, an invitation to be a part of the team of the Zanarkand Abes, the most important blitzball team in all Spira. I knew this was Tidus' life dream and I knew he could not refuse it, but… Zanarkand was so far away! It was almost on the other side of the world and the thought of having all Spira between me and Tidus didn't please me at all. It felt like losing him to the world.

"But I'll miss you like hell and we'll be in touch", he said, trying to comfort me. "Besides, one day I'll return with lots of money and then we _will_ get married. I promise."

I smirked at his conviction of what was going to happen in the future. I could not be down for long when I was with Tidus; his joy and happiness were contagious and I was definitely infected by them whenever I was near him, which, might I add, was quite often.

"Ok, buddy", I told him, pointing one finger at his face "One day I'll make you keep that promise, you're hearing?"

Oh my Yevon, the smile he gave me was beautiful and I melted in it, leaning in closer and kissing him, my heart aching for I missed him already.

"When are you leaving?" I asked him when we had returned. We were in front of my house and it was getting hard to say goodbye.

"Tonight." His hand would not drop mine even though he knew he had to. "I don't like goodbyes, so I'm leaving when you're all asleep."

"Who's gonna drive you to the ship?"

"Shuyin's going", he answered. "My father said he wanted to be there too, but we thought it was best if he stayed at home. You know how he is."

Yeah, I knew. Jecht, Tidus' and Shuyin's father was a very weird guy who gave me the creeps every time he was around. He had once been a famous blitzball player, but he had had an accident that had left him unable to play again and he grew bitter because of that, blaming it all on his kids who played the sport even better than their father. This only made Jecht more angry and aggressive and sometimes he even hit them. And even though Jecht didn't beat them anymore (they were too big for him to do that) he still affected them psychologically and made their lives a living hell. Shuyin, because he was the eldest, was the one who suffered the most.

"Your brother's really gonna miss you", I stated, looking at my feet. "He needs you a lot."

"I know, but I can't take him with me", he said, his voice sad. "I was worried about him, but he said that he's saving money to buy an apartment and leave father's house, so I'm more relaxed 'bout that. And he has Lenne, so I think he'll be fine."

"Tidus!" a high-pitched voice cried out from the inside of the house. It was my cousin Rikku, an upbeat, outgoing, hyper Al Bhed girl, with whom I had come live when I had left the board school. Rikku, Brother and Uncle Cid: they were my family now, even though they were a crazy one.

Rikku swung herself into Tidus' arms and started talking non-stop as always "Oh, Tidus! We're gonna miss you so much! But I know it's for the best and we'll be able to see you on TV and on the newspapers and magazines and someday later, when you're famous, I'll take a picture with you and then I'll show it to everyone and tell them that you're my best friend ever and…"

She went on and on and Tidus just laughed while grabbing her waist and making her swirl in the air. I watched that picture of them, knowing I would not watch anything like that in a long, long time. I couldn't believe that I was going to lose him…

Finally Rikku came to a halt in her talking. Tidus put her down and she quickly turned to me. "Sorry, were you guys talking?"

I smiled and Tidus messed with her blonde hair. "Whaddya think?"

"Stop it, Tidus." I laughed and then turned to my cousin. "Tidus was just sayin'―" I stopped, realizing what I was just about to say. _Tidus was just saying goodbye_ was definitely something I didn't wanna say, not at that point of our lives. It had been easy to say it before, but now that it was real, it felt like a bad omen or something like that.

"What?" Rikku demanded, staring at both of us.

"I was sayin' how much I'm gonna miss you too, Rikster." Tidus finished for me. He was not looking at her, though. He was looking at me in a way that I knew it was only for me and for no one else. I felt tears rising to my eyes.

"Oh, Tidus! That's so sweet! Wait 'til I tell Lulu what you said!" and Rikku darted off, moving to the house right next to ours, where Lulu lived by herself.

As soon as we lost sight of her, Tidus moved closer to me and grabbed me in his strong athletic arms, kissing my head and resting his face on it. "I'll call you as soon as I get there, ok?"

I just nodded for I felt a ball in my throat and I could not find my voice. I held him against me as long as I could, but eventually he let go of me and stepped back.

"I have to go."

"I know."

"I'll always love you, don't forget."

"And I'll make you keep your promise, don't forget that either."

He should go now, before I started crying like a baby in front of him. But he didn't. Instead, he moved forward and held me once again, kissing me passionately. Then he looked at me one last time and ran away.

That was the last time I saw him and talked to him face to face. Until…


	2. Chapter 1: Abandoned

_**Chapter One**_

_**Abandoned**_

**(Present time)**

I entered the police station and looked around, quickening my pace as soon as I saw Lenne sitting there in a chair, her face buried in her hands, her long light brown hair falling and covering most of her arms and shoulders. She was wearing the typical blue dress she used every time she was hired to sing but now the dress was torn and stained.

I wondered what had happened for her to be in that miserable state and to call me on the phone with a desperate voice in the middle of the night. The only things I had understood were Shuyin, prison and help. The rest of the words were completely lost in her many sobs and I was unable to understand them, but it didn't matter anyway. All that mattered was that I had to get there and help them as I could.

"Lenne." I called her as I walked towards her.

She looked up, her eyes bright with tears, and when she saw it was me she fell in my arms and started crying even harder. "I'm so sorry I had to call you, Yuna! It's just that I had nobody else to turn to and―"

"Shh", I said, smoothing her messed hair with my hand. "Everything's gonna be alright, now."

We stood there for a few moments until a cop showed up and caught my attention. I needed some information and I knew Lenne could not give it to me in the state she was in.

"Excuse me, sir." I called, calmly sitting Lenne once again and moving in the direction of the policeman. "Could you help me? I need to know what happened with a guy named Shuyin. Is he here or―"

"Yes, he is here", the guard interrupted me, looking eager to give me more information. "We locked him up because he started a fight in a very important club of Besaid. That girl", he pointed at Lenne, "was supposed to sing in the club tonight but apparently her boyfriend didn't like it and decided to make a scene in front of everyone. According to the people we interviewed, they started arguing and when the security tried to throw him out he started fighting them and they decided to call the police. That's when we came and we took him in."

I could not understand why he was so proud with that little story of his. There was no glory in locking up a guy, and even less when you needed the help of two security guards and two cops to do it. Anyways, that wasn't important at the time. I just needed to find a way to get Shuyin out of there as soon as possible.

"When do you think he'll be released?" I asked abruptly.

He gave me a puzzled look like he didn't understand why I had such an interest in that subject. But then comprehension fell over his face as he looked over my shoulder and saw a crying Lenne. He then turned to me once again. "She's your sister, isn't she? Poor girl, being stuck with such a troublemaker. You should try to help _her_ instead of _him_, ya know? I bet she's with him just because she's afraid of him. I bet he's violent on her. I bet―"

"Do you know if he'll be released soon or not?" I snapped back, angry at his words. Who the hell did he think he was to talk about Shuyin and Lenne like that? He didn't even know them! He was just speculating and speculating wrong as a matter of fact! Firstly Lenne and I were just friends and Lenne was not stuck up with Shuyin because they didn't even date anymore; she had broken up with him after he had been kicked off the blitzball team. And in second place, yes, I admitted it, Shuyin was a troublemaker; he had done a lot of bad things in the past two years, and that's the main reason why Lenne wasn't with him anymore, but I knew he would never be violent towards her, he just loved her too much…

"We'll release him as soon as somebody pays the bail." The cop answered dryly, upset by my irritated reaction. Who cared anyway? He shouldn't have talked that way about my friends.

"And where can I pay that?"

He pointed towards a desk near the entrance of the station and turned his back at me, walking away without another word.

I looked at Lenne who was staring back at me. I smiled reassuringly, trying to calm her down. Apparently she was regaining her composure for she smiled back at me, wiping away the tears with the back of her hands.

"I'm gonna get Shuyin outta here, 'kay?" I said, sitting next to her. "And perhaps you would like to go to the restroom and clean yourself a bit…"

"Do I look that bad?" she grinned and ran a hand through her messed hair. "Then I guess it's better if Shuyin doesn't see me like this." I nodded and she continued, grabbing one of my hands, "I'm so glad you could come, Yuna. I'm sorry I bothered you, but I had no money and―"

"Hey! Both Shuyin and you are my friends and I'm here for you anytime, alright? I was glad you called me and I'm glad I can help."

It was true. This was the least I could do for them. For Shuyin. I kind of felt guilty about this situation, about the way things had ended after his brother had left… I should've been there for Shuyin, keeping him from becoming what he had become, but I had been so absorbed in my own pain and loneliness that I had forgotten about him and the way he felt. Besides, he resembled Tidus so much that it was impossible for me to be around him and not feel the pain inside and I could not bear it. And so I had abandoned him like all the rest of us, letting him fall into the abyss he was in.

I stood up and went to the desk the policeman had told me, while Lenne darted off to the WC to make herself presentable. The policewoman who sat there was very nice and helped me with the paperwork, telling me what to read and where to sign. She then took the money I gave her and made a phone call to the guards of the cells.

"He'll be out any second now, dear", she said after she finished the call.

I thanked her and returned to where Lenne was sitting when I had arrived. She was still not there, but she arrived just in time to see Shuyin being dragged by the guards.

"And see if you don't end up here again, boy", one of the cops told Shuyin, while he yanked his arms free from the hold.

Only then did he look up to see Lenne and… me. His beautiful blue eyes narrowed and grew darker and he looked towards Lenne once again. "What's _she_ doin' here?"

Lenne's voice was shaky. "I didn't have any money, Shuyin. How was I supposed to get you out of here?"

Shuyin looked away and an awkward silence fell over us. I could not blame him for not wanting me there, but I had been the one who had bailed him out and now he was obliged to feel grateful towards me, which he didn't want and would never admit. In a strange way, I had caused him as much pain as his brother and that hurt me. It had not been my fault that Tidus had left…

"Well, I'm done here." I said, getting ready to leave. "Do you need a ride somewhere?"

I looked straight at Lenne, but it was Shuyin who responded, his voice low and contained, "Could you take us to my place, please?"

I turned my head to look at him, surprised, but he was staring at his feet. "Okay, but you have to show me the way, 'cause I don't know where you live."

He snapped his head up and gazed into my eyes. "Thank you."

I knew how hard it must have been for him to say those words, so I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders. "Hey, no prob. After all, you're still my favourite troublemaker."

To surprise me even more, he smirked back at me. Just a little smirk, but it was definitely one. Lenne smiled too, happy that Shuyin was finally accepting me once again, not shutting me down like he had done with everyone else in previous occasions.

We drove silently for most of the way, not because there was nothing to say, but because we felt really uncomfortable in each other's presence. Much had happened for us to act naturally.

When we arrived at Shuyin's apartment, he asked us to come inside and to rest a little, as in a way to apologize himself for giving us the trouble of having to go all the way to the prison. We could not refuse, of course, and stepped inside. His apartment was small and not very clean, but it was understandable after all. He wasn't exactly rich and his father had not given him or his brother the best education, being rude, stupid and violent. I had often wondered how those two boys had turned out so good after the father they had…

I realized Shuyin and Lenne wanted to talk in private about what had happened earlier that night so I pretended to be very tired and asked Shuyin if I could rest a little in his room. He pointed to the door on the left and told me to be at home. I went to the room and turned the lights on. The bed was all messed and before I lay down I pulled the blankets up and turned the lights off once again.

I laid there in the dark, but I could not get to sleep. I kept thinking about Shuyin and everything that had happened in the past two years that had made him change so much, becoming so different from the person he used to be. Shuyin was never the upbeat type of guy, but I remember how he used to laugh every time Wakka would say something really stupid or how he used to smile when Lenne talked to him. The only other person that would have made him smile or laugh was… well, it was his brother, but he was gone now, nowhere for us to reach.

The voices in the next room grew louder and I became able to understand them. They were starting a fight… again.

"Why, Lenne? Why don't you want me to say my feelings for you?" yelled Shuyin. I heard a huge _clank_ and I realized that something big had crushed on the floor.

"Because you're confused", Lenne's voice was trembling, I could tell she was near the tears "You don't know how you feel―"

"Yes, I do! Damn it, Lenne! I've always loved you, don't shut me down!"

"Please, Shuyin, don't make it harder than it already is", said Lenne, trying to control her feelings "We cannot be together."

"Why?" repeated Shuyin.

"Because, Shuyin. I don't want to hurt you, so don't make me do it."

There was a pause and the next thing I heard was the door slamming. I slowly got up and entered the other room. There was a chair on the floor and Lenne was crying on the couch but as soon as she heard my footsteps she turned her head to look at me.

"Sorry, did we wake you?" she asked, getting up and wiping her tears with the back of her hands.

I shook my head "It's okay, I could not sleep anyway."

"You heard?"

I nodded and she sat back in the couch, unable to prevent the tears from falling. I knew she was devastated ― she was a very sensitive person who had a very strict and complicated family so life had never been exactly easy for her either. But she was also very strong, in a way not many people could be, and she would hold on through this another crisis, like so many times before.

I sat next to her and let her sob on my shoulder for a while. When she felt better, she asked me in a trembling voice "Where do you think he went?"

"Don't worry, Lenne, I'm sure he's fine. He already had enough trouble for one night, he won't be messing around. He's probably just cooling off and then he'll come back and you'll have a chance to talk."

She looked at me, grateful for my calmness under the circumstances and then sighed. "I don't think we should talk again tonight. He's really mad at me and I can't say I blame him. Not after what I told him…"

I didn't know what to say to her. "Well, Lenne, I'm sure you did what you thought it was the best and―"

"You don't understand", she interrupted me. "We cannot stay together, not right now! Things are getting way too complicated in my life and Shuyin isn't exactly helping, you know? I already have a lot of problems without him adding another one to them."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Lenne." I said, grabbing her hands. "But you gotta understand Shuyin. He isn't having the best time either. He feels so lonely right now and it's so complicated for him to go through this."

Lenne smiled slightly. "After all that happened, I never expected you to be defending him…"

"Hey, like I said, he's one of my best friends, even though we hadn't been there for each other lately. He―"

I was once again interrupted, this time by the door opening. We both lifted our heads to see who it was although we both knew it could only be one person. Shuyin entered the room and suddenly there was a strange silence. We both got up and Lenne turned to him, but he talked before any of us could say anything.

"I just want to say one thing before you both get out. I know I'm not exactly the perfect guy and I know I'm getting into a lot of troubles lately. So I understand your reaction, Lenne. I understand that I'm not good enough for ya and I think I'll never be… So it's perfectly natural that you'll abandon me just like all the others have…"

I felt tears tickling in my eyes. I knew what he meant by saying that and I felt so sorry for him. First it had been his mother, dying prematurely with a strange disease and leaving them alone with their weird father. Then it was one of his best friends, Chappu, dying in a car accident a few years ago. His brother was the next, leaving him for the opportunity of his life… leaving all of us. And then Wakka had married, Lenne had broken up with him and even I had begun to drift away, growing more distant with everyday… He must have felt so lonely!

"I'm not going to abandon you, Shuyin―" Lenne began, but Shuyin lifted a hand, making her stop.

"I really don't wanna hear it, Lenne. Not tonight."

Lenne began crying once again, but she quickly wiped her tears away. She wasn't going to let him see her cry. She picked up her bag and walked to the door. "I'm really sorry if I hurt you in any way, Shuyin. When you're ready to talk, you know where to find me." Then she looked at me "Yuna, can you drop me at my house?"

I nodded and went to get my bag too. Then I started heading towards the door but stopped near Shuyin "You're not alone in your pain, you know? He abandoned me too, so if you wanna talk―"

"Not tonight, Yuna." He repeated, looking straight ahead. Then he turned his eyes to me and said in a softer tone "But thanks anyway."

And without any other word, I left his apartment with Lenne.


	3. Chapter 2: Life goes on, doesn't it?

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm back!

I know last chapter was a bit dark, but things will lighten up in this one, I promise! And I just want to thank my first 5 reviewers. You made me so happy (except for you, Crisyah, you're a bad bad meanie, cous…)! Thanks a lot, hope you enjoy the rest of the story. So, on with the fic…

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Life goes on, doesn't it?**_

When I finally got home, Rikku was sitting in the living room, looking extremely worried. As soon as I entered the house she ran up to me and hugged me, her long blonde hair swirling around her shoulders and falling all the way down her back.

"What's wrong?" I asked, not expecting that reaction.

"I'm the one who should be asking that, don't ya think?" she snapped back, letting go of me and pouting. "When I went to your room and didn't find you in your bed you know how worried to death I was? I mean… I even thought you could be with some guy but in that case you would have told me, wouldn't you? Of course you would, so I really got worried because you hadn't told me anything and I thought that you possibly would have been―"

"Shh, Rikku, stop." I pressed my hand over her lips. "I'm fine. I'll tell you everything when we get to my room, okay?"

Her eyes sparkled and she nodded in agreement, curiosity growing inside of her. We went to my room, where I began undressing myself and telling her the whole story, or at least what I had understood of it. Sometimes she would ask me questions and I tried to answer the best I could. She was quite surprised to hear about Shuyin's reactions towards me.

"I thought he'd ignore you or somethin'…" she said, grabbing a pillow on her lap.

"So did I." I pulled my sleeping white t-shirt over my head and continued, as I brushed my short hair with my fingers. "I was kinda afraid 'cause I know I haven't been the best friend ever, so I was really relieved when he smiled at me. It kinda reminded me how he used to be before―" I stopped, not wanting to say the words.

Rikku looked at me intently, but she didn't say anything. In those past two years she had changed too, she had grown up. Without ever losing her optimism and her smile and all her craziness, she had become more… Could I really say wise and sensible? I don't think so. In every way, Rikku was just… Rikku. But at the age of seventeen, she was definitely more mature than at the age of fifteen. At least, she now thought a little bit before saying what was going through her mind. Most of the times, anyway…

I smiled, trying to reassure her that I was fine. She kept looking at me and I finally asked "Is somethin' wrong, Rik?"

"No."

"So what is it?" I demanded, growing impatient.

"Nothin'."

"Rikku!" I almost yelled, sitting next to her in my large bed and tickling her until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop it, Yunie, pwease!" she begged, through giggles. I laughed too. This was a game we used to play since we were really little, when my mom would bring me to visit my cousins during the holidays. That happened until I was seven, until my mom died. Then I never saw Rikku again until three years ago, when I had moved to Besaid, to live with her and her family.

I stopped prickling her and fell onto the bed next to her. After staring at the ceiling for a while I said "Don't worry, Rikku, I'm fine. After all, life goes on, doesn't it?"

But she had fallen asleep before she could hear any of my words.

The next morning, the doorbell rang loudly and I ran to open the door. It was Paine, one of my closest friends. She was Lulu's younger sister and had come to live with her and Wakka shortly after they got married. She was in college with me and we often drove together. Rikku was still finishing high school, so she didn't come along.

"Hey!" I saluted. "We're eating breakfast. Wanna come in?"

Paine nodded and entered the kitchen after me. Everyone greeted her, Uncle Cid offered her a cup of coffee and Brother, as usually, made a stupid remark about how cute Paine was. She just glared coldly at him and if glares could kill he would have dropped dead promptly.

"We're running late, Yuna." she reminded me as I took one last sip of my coffee. Then we both said goodbye and left, heading towards my car.

"So, I've heard you had to go to prison last night to save that troublemaker of your ex-boyfriend's brother", said Paine, looking sideways at me, when we were already driving through the city.

How the hell did she already know what had happened? News certainly ran fast in Besaid. I just hoped Lenne hadn't got into troubles because of that.

"Shuyin's my friend, Paine", I answered calmly, trying to control my voice. "He's not just Tidus' brother. And I would really like if you didn't refer to him as my ex-boyfriend, please."

"Whatever."

I snapped my head to look at her but she was shrugging her shoulders, as if discarding the subject. I knew it was not her fault. Paine had only arrived at Besaid last year so she never really understood what had happened two years ago and as no one ever talked about it she never really got to know the entire story, although I believed Rikku told her a thing or two.

"So, how's your sister?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Pregnant." Paine answered shortly.

I laughed "I imagine her mood hasn't improved in the last days."

Paine nodded. "I don't understand how Wakka can put up with her when she's like this but then again I can't also figure out what went through her mind when she married him, so…"

I laughed again. Even though Paine was a very reserved and sometimes cold person (she was Lulu's sister, after all), she had a sense of humor that I appreciated. And she rarely asked questions which was perfect for me, for I rarely talked about my past. Well, I didn't question her either, so our friendship was really smooth and calm. With Rikku it was different. She adored Paine, but she was just too outgoing and too curious to let Paine be without being bugging her all the time. This got Paine's nerves and they often argued about the smallest and less important things. But they were pretty close and loved each other, nonetheless.

We arrived at the campus and I parked the car. "What's your first class?" I asked, stepping out of the car and grabbing my books.

"Al Bhed…" Paine sighed and shrugged. "With Gippal."

"Speakin' of the devil." I laughed, pointing over her shoulder to where Gippal was running towards us.

Gippal was a very attractive young man and he knew it. His muscular body, his spiked blonde hair and his incredible green eyes made the girls fall at his feet without him even trying. His clothes were always very stylish too and he wore a patch over his right eye, even though he didn't need it. I still remember the day Rikku had come to him and had pulled the patch up, looking straight into both of his eyes. She then sighed and let go of the patch, which painfully stroke Gippal's face, turning around and saying disappointedly "Yeah, I knew it was nothin'. You're just a fakey fakey guy, Gippal."

We all had laughed at that episode and I still smiled now, as I remembered Gippal chasing Rikku around because she had hurt his feelings. They were always acting like that, teasing each other, playing around... That reminded me of the first time they had met in my presence. We were all at Paine's house doing a paper work to deliver when Rikku suddenly stepped in with a large bowl of popcorns.

"Hi, everyone! Want popcorns? The movie's just 'bout to start!" she said, sitting down on the huge couch and turning the TV on.

"Whatcha doin' here?" Paine asked, lifting her head slightly.

"Came to watch the movie with you, guys…" Rikku pouted and looked at us, but then her eyes locked with Gippal's.

"Well, if it isn't Cid's girl. How you been?" he asked with a rather seductively smile across his lips

"Hey, I have a name!" she retorted, flustered.

"Sure ya do." He smirked at her and she relaxed, smiling back.

That made me think there was more to it than just that and I stated "You seem close."

Gippal turned to look at me and his smiled broadened. "We made quite the couple."

"What!" Rikku cried, jumping off the couch and almost running towards us but she suddenly stopped when she saw his devious smile. "Oh, shut up, Gippal! Hmph. Show-off!" And she promptly returned to her big couch and to her bowl of popcorns, leaving us alone for five minutes, before starting asking questions about what we were doing.

Later, I learned that Rikku, Paine and Gippal had known each other since they were children because they all had grown up in Besaid and that Rikku had had a crush on Gippal since forever. But then, Gippal and Paine had moved to Luca to finish high school and they hadn't returned until the year before.

And since he had arrived, Gippal and Rikku were doing this crazy dance of teasing, playing and annoying each other, but it was clear for everyone to see that there was some kind of attraction between them. She completely denied it, but it was written all over her face that he still affected her somehow.

"Hello, ladies!" he said, moving towards me and Paine.

"Hi, Gippal. How ya doin'?" I smiled at him. He was kind of conceited and cocky and he was always trying to seduce the girls, but he could also be very funny and it was nice to be around him.

"Check for yourself", he answered me. What had I said? That was Gippal. He continued, looking at Paine "Dr. P.! Guess what's new?"

Paine looked over his shoulder and saw Nooj, another friend of hers and Gippal. She then turned once again to him. "Nooj finally dumped that stupid bitch of LeBlanc?" she asked hopefully.

"In your dreams, Paine!" he chuckled "They're so in love with each other that it even makes me sick…" And Gippal trailed off about how perfect Nooj's romance was.

Nooj was another friend of ours. He was a little older than us, he was about twenty, twenty-one years old, but he had been in the same high school as Paine and Gippal and they had become really close friends. Paine always looked up to Nooj as an older brother and Gippal did the same even though he would never admit it.

When Paine and Gippal had returned to Besaid, Nooj had come with them for he had no family and now he was living with Gippal. He then started attending college with the rest of us but he wasn't around very often because he started dating this girl, LeBlanc, who constantly kept him away. She and Paine could not stand each other and I kept thinking it was just jealousy, but I kind of understood Paine; LeBlanc wasn't my favourite person either…

"So, what did you want to tell me, Gippal?" Paine cut off Gippal's little speech and he seemed annoyed by that, but didn't say anything because he caught her expression and we all knew better than irritate Paine when she looked like that.

He hesitated and looked at me. I didn't know what he was expecting, so I locked the car up and moved to them. "Yeah, Gippal, what's this news you have to give us?"

"Well…"

At that moment, Nooj approached and saluted us in his serious tone of voice. He then turned to Paine, who had her arms crossed over her chest, and said, smiling a little "So, Paine, what would you pay to have the whole group reunited once again?"

Paine's arms fell to her sides and she opened up her mouth as if she was going to speak, but then she changed her mind and closed it again. I had absolutely no idea of what was happening. What did Nooj mean by saying "the whole group"? Weren't they the group? I really did know little about Paine's and Gippal's past. They usually didn't talk much about it. Paine didn't.

We stood there in silence until Nooj decided that we had waited long enough and made a sign to someone who was inside his car. That person stepped out and moved towards us, removing his coat in the process.

It was a boy, about our age, with short white hair and very tanned skin. But what captured my attention the most were his beautiful features. He was definitely the most beautiful guy I had ever seen. I mean, I had met gorgeous guys in my life. Gippal was very cute, Shuyin was so handsome and Tidus… well, Tidus had been perfect in his time. But this guy who stood in front of me was breathtaking. He could have been a statue or something…

"Hello, Paine" he said, his voice calm and controlled.

"Baralai…" I could tell Paine wasn't expecting this reunion and she was quite nervous with it. "What the hell are you doin' here?"

"I'm attending this college, this year." he explained.

"So I take it that you've changed your mind…"she retorted.

"Yes, I have. Does that displease you in any way?" he asked, but she didn't answer. Apparently, she had lost her words.

I had never seen Paine like that before but I knew she wouldn't like being seen in that state of uneasiness so I stepped forward to give her my support, accidentally drawing the attentions to myself. Gippal cleared his throat and introduced me.

"This is Yuna, Baralai. She's a friend of ours."

"Yuna, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Baralai…" Baralai said, taking my hand in his and kissing it gently. Oh my Yevon, the guy was not only the best-looking but also the most polite guy in the story of Spira.

"Yup", said Gippal once again, punching Baralai's arm in a friendly way "This is Baralai, the fourth member of the Crimson Squad."

* * *

A/N: So did you like it? Gimme your opinions, they mean a lot to me… Cia soon.

PS: I just saw your review, Vdeoxgames, and I must say that you'll have to wait a little bit longer before that happens… You know, Yuna's life doesn't revolve around Tidus anymore, so… But thanks for reviewing anyway.


	4. Chapter 3: Crimson Squad

A/N: Hi! I know I'm taking a week to update every chapter, but it's been kinda complicated, with school and everything. But I'm doing my best to not keep you waiting too long.

So, thank you for waiting and I truly hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks again and let's get to more important stuff like… the fic.

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Crimson Squad**_

The Crimson Squad. So that was the group that Paine and Gippal loved so much but talked about so little. And now that they were all reunited again, it seemed like Gippal could not shut up for one single moment, wanting to relive all the memories over and over again, talking non-stop.

"And so I thought our group should have a name, don't ya think?" he looked around the table, but only Rikku nodded in agreement.

It was lunch time and we were all in a fancy restaurant in the middle of the city. We usually had lunch at school, but today Gippal had insisted in going out. He had said that Baralai should have a welcoming party or something like that but I think that he just wanted Rikku to be with us so he could show-off. That's why he had not taken no for an answer when I said that probably the four of them would like to be alone so I should not go.

And so there we were. Even Nooj was there, in spite of his girlfriend, who had made a scene when he had told her he wasn't going to have lunch with her. He seemed pleased to be with his friends once again and so did Baralai. But Paine… She was just sitting there, arms crossed over her chest, lips firmly tightened, eyes staring blankly ahead. She still hadn't recovered from the shock of seeing Baralai once again and that made me wonder. What had happened between them to make her so stiff about the whole 'seeing an old friend again' thing? I had no idea, but I told myself not to forget to talk to her later.

Gippal was the most happy, no doubts on that. He kept telling stories about the wonderful times they had spent together in Luca's high school. Rikku drank every word he said, curiosity and excitement stamped on her face.

"The choice was difficult, but I had finally found the perfect name for us. I decided that we should call ourselves Crimson Squad."

"But why, Gippal?" Rikku asked, lifting her head to him.

"Can't you guess?" he asked. But he wasn't looking at Rikku. He was looking at Paine and had this strange smirk on his lips.

"Don't even think of it." Paine said, stepping out of her dream state and directing a deadly look at Gippal.

He just chuckled and proceeded. "Well, Paine's eyes were the most beautiful and deadly thing around, so we decided to use them to name our group…"

He said it as a joke, like he was teasing her, but she was not enjoying it. "If you don't stop right now, you'll find out that my eyes aren't the only deadly thing in me."

"C'mon, Paine." Nooj said, resting his hand on her shoulder "He's just kidding. Besides, we all know that our group's name was due to your awesome eyes. You should take it as a compliment, not an offence."

"Yeah, Paine, take a break." Gippal continued, turning once again to Rikku, his only interested audience. "So, like I was saying―"

"Stop it, Gippal." Baralai said, leaning forward and looking at his friend. "If Paine is not comfortable with this conversation, we should not be having it."

Gippal pouted "You're such a boring guy, Baralai. You haven't changed a bit, ya know that? Always defending her… I was just playin'…"

Nooj smiled, as if that was a scene he was accustomed to see everyday and I thought that that group had in fact many hidden stories in their memories, stories they were not willing to share with everyone…

"Oh, I was enjoying that story so much…" Rikku also moped and we all laughed at that. Well, all except Paine. She was acting really weird. I stared at her, trying to figure out what was going on, but she caught me looking and shook her head as if advising me not to say anything, at least not there. So I stopped what I was about to ask and turned my attention to the group once again.

Nooj was now explaining to Baralai how it had been when he had first arrived at Besaid and how wonderful and quiet the city was. I smiled, for I had thought precisely the same the first time I had come here, long before I even think about moving in with Rikku and her family.

Baralai saw me smiling and smiled back at me, which made me blush slightly for I had been caught off guard. But he didn't seem to notice my blushed face and kept smiling and looking at me, while Nooj was explaining to him how simple life was here in Besaid.

When we finished our lunch, it was time to head back to school, and since Nooj had his car, we divided ourselves in two groups: boys and girls. Nooj, Gippal and Baralai took off first and Rikku, Paine and I followed them through the crowded streets of the city. It would have been the perfect time for me to talk to Paine, but Rikku wouldn't shut up in the back seat so I delayed it for some better occasion.

We arrived at campus and Rikku began to say goodbye, for she had to go to school too, but Gippal interrupted her and they started picking on each other once again. It seemed like all the complicity they had had at lunch was over now. None of us paid much attention to their fight, not even when Rikku darted off chasing Gippal around our cars. Only Baralai seemed slightly interested in their little show of affection.

"Are they always like this?" he asked me, leaning in closer so they could not hear his question.

I turned my head to look at him and smiled. "Well, sometimes they're worse. But it's okay, you'll get used to it."

He smiled in return and I could not help but to feel good. He was so polite and so nice to everyone, even to me and Rikku, who he had never known before that day. Yet, he acted towards us so naturally that I really felt that I had found another friend, even thought I didn't know him too well yet.

"So, are you enjoying yourself?"

I was surprised by his question, but pleased at the same time. Wasn't I just saying how gentle and polite he was?

"Yes, I am. It was really nice meeting you and having lunch with the group. It's usually just me, Paine and Gippal."

"What about Nooj and Rikku?"

"Well, Rikku is still finishing high school and Nooj is most of the times with his girlfriend, LeBlanc. She's not very sociable, so… you know."

He nodded in response, looking to where Paine and Nooj were talking, near his car. I followed his gaze and stared at Paine for a few moments. She seemed to be having a very serious conversation with Nooj and it looked like he was trying to convince her of something, talking in his cool and tranquil way. Baralai's sigh brought my attention back to his person. He looked disappointed, almost sad, and I could not blame him. If an old friend of mine had acted towards me the way Paine had acted towards him, I wouldn't feel much better.

"What about ya, Baralai?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "Are you enjoyin' being in Besaid?"

He turned to me again and let out a smile. "I love it. It is just so different from the city where I lived…"

"Which is?" I inquired, before I could stop the words from coming out of my mouth. Curiosity had gained the best out of me, and I quickly tried to correct my mistake. "I mean… I didn't want to…"

"It is alright, Yuna." he assured me, lifting his hand and resting it lightly on my arm. "I come from Bevelle."

"So do I!" I exclaimed, glad to know he was from a place I knew quite well. After all I had been born in that city and had lived in it until I was sixteen years old.

"So we must meet some other time to talk about our beloved city, don't you think?" he asked, tilting his head and giving me a bright smile. I responded with a nod and a grin.

"Whatcha guys talkin' 'bout?" Rikku asked, running towards us, possibly escaping Gippal.

I turned my eyes to her and met Paine's in the way. She looked like she would kill someone who was in her range and her eyes were more crimson than ever. Now I perfectly understood what Gippal meant when he had said that Paine's eyes were 'the most beautiful and deadly thing around'.

"Hey, Cid's Girl! Aren't you late for school or somethin'?" Gippal yelled from the other side of the car, holding his watch in front of his face.

Rikku screamed in response and said goodbye to everyone, grabbing her bag and rushing towards the exit of our school. She was going to be late, but that was becoming a habit lately. Every time she was with Gippal she completely forgot about the hours. Baralai chuckled beside me and Paine and Gippal approached us.

"Where's Nooj?" Gippal asked Paine, still amused by the previous events. Picking on Rikku was definitely on his list of favourite things to do.

"Went off to meet LeBlanc." She answered dryly, not even caring in looking at him. "We're late for class too, Yuna."

I nodded, not understanding her rage. I knew LeBlanc could always upset her, but she never showed that much anger towards any of us. I put my bag over my shoulder and followed her through the parking lot, trying to catch her pace. "What's wrong with ya, Paine?"

"Nothin'. Just my business."

"Well, if you want to talk about it―"

"I don't." she snapped, cutting me off.

In class we didn't talk much either. It was rather difficult to talk when the teacher was always looking at us in a suspicious way. I just hated that woman and that class too, as a matter of fact. Let's just face it, Religion of Yevon was not my favourite subject in the world, in spite of the fact that I was pretty good at it. After spending ten years in a very religious boarding school you get good at that kind of stuff, even though you don't believe in most of them.

Anyways, after spending two hours listening to how Yevon had saved us all (don't forget to notice the sarcasm, please), we were released and finally able to go home. Well, at least most of us. I still had to go somewhere else.

"Paine." I called, catching her down the stairs "Listen, I'm not going home yet, but I was wondering if you wanted a ride or something... So maybe we could talk."

She answered me more softly than before. "Listen, Yuna, thanks for worrying 'bout me, but I'm fine. And I really appreciate your offer, but Wakka's picking me up today. We're gonna buy Lulu some clothes for the baby."

I nodded. "Okay, but promise me you're not upset with me."

She gave me a strange look and then said "Why would I be?" And she darted off, towards the main gate of the campus.

I stared until I had lost sight of her and then moved silently to my car, turning the ignition on and driving to Shuyin's place, like I had promised Lenne I would do last night.

When I got there, I knocked on the door, for there was no bell to be seen. A few seconds later, Shuyin opened up, giving me a puzzled look. "Whatcha doin' here?"

"I'm sorry." I said, looking him up and down. His hair was even more messed than the usual and he was only wearing his boxers, which made me believe he had been sleeping before I arrived. Lenne had told me he worked at night sometimes. "If it isn't a good time, I can―"

"Don't be silly, Yuna." He cut me off, backing away so I could get in his apartment. "I'm just surprised. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Well… I sort of promised Lenne I would come to check on you." His eyes narrowed and I continued "Yesterday she was really worried, but you know how she is. She never wants to show―"

"Her true feelings." He completed for me. I nodded. "Hey, sit down, I'll be right back."

I did as he told me and sat on the couch, grabbing one of the pillows on my lap and looking around. Last night I hadn't had the chance to take a good look at my surroundings: it was dark, I was tired and the mood wasn't the best. But now I could see that, in spite of being really old and small, the apartment was cosy and even though Shuyin was not the perfect decorator (I believe he really didn't care about that) he had a few paintings on the walls. When I approached to take a better look at one of them, I noticed it was not a painting but an old photograph. And so were the other so-called paintings. They were all photos of Shuyin's life: his family together, his mother, his friends, the whole group, Lenne, his brother…

"Don't take pity on me, Yuna." I heard from behind. "I'm fine just the way I am; those photos mean nothing, they belong to the past and I don't even know why Lenne decided to hang them on the walls."

I turned and gave him a small grin, joking "Well, that explains a lot. I was beginning to think you had become soft and mushy all of a sudden and it was scaring the hell out of me."

He smirked back at me and I knew I had gained a few points in his consideration. I still remember how he used to criticize me and Lenne for always taking pity and helping the ones in need. He used to ask us if we knew what the word 'no' stood for. We never took him too seriously though because we both knew he loved us just the way we were. Still, I now admit he was right all along. Sometimes you must stand for yourself alone instead of always being there for the others.

He sat on the couch and I sat beside him, looking at his old jeans and his faded black t-shirt. He told me not to take pity on him and I knew what he meant, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for this friend of mine whose life was so messed up right now.

"What?" he asked, catching my gaze.

"How long have you been living like this?" I asked in return, trying to hide my sorrow so he could not see it in my eyes.

"Long enough. Why?"

"No good reason. Just curiosity."

"I hope Lenne hasn't been trying to make up your mind so you'll help me and all that kind of shit. I really don't need it." He said dryly. Apparently I was quite easy to read.

"No, she hasn't been doing anything like that." I answered quickly, trying to explain myself. "In fact I only spoke to her yesterday and she just asked me to check on you because she felt really sorry about last night. I think she was afraid that if she came herself you two might argue again." I looked at my own hands, playing with my rings, and continued "Anyways, she didn't need to say anything; I would come no matter what."

"Why?" There was no hidden meaning in his question, no repressed feelings, no willing to make me feel guilty. Just curiosity to know my answer.

I hesitated before answering. I needed time to organize my chaotic thoughts. Then, after a few moments of silence, I said "Well, Shuyin, this last year hasn't been easy for none of us and we grew distant. But last night, when I saw your smile, I felt much lighter inside and I realized that I didn't want to lose whatever we had before this all happened. So, I wanna fight for our friendship and not let it die again. I don't know what you want, but hopefully you'll want the same as me."

I gazed into his beautiful deep blue eyes, waiting for his answer. For a long time we just stayed there, looking in each other's eyes. Finally, he spoke "That's all very beautiful, Yuna. But we both know things will never be the same again. How can we still be close friends after all that happened?"

"How can we not?" I snapped back "After all, we're on the same boat. And right now I think you might need someone to talk to. I'm a good listener and I never ask many questions."

He smirked "Unlike your cousin."

I smiled back "Yeah, unlike my cousin. So can we at least try? Lenne told me you talked about me often so I think you wanna try this as much as I do. Please?"

"You know, you had me when you said we were on the same boat. The rest was totally unnecessary…" he teased me, messing with my hair.

"But still you let me say it!" I exclaimed, throwing him the pillow.

"Yeah, I always loved your little speeches."

"You meanie." I said, imitating Rikku. Then I leaned closer to him and planted a soft kiss on his cheek "I'm so glad you forgave me…"

"There was nothing to forgive, Yuna." he threw his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. "You've always been the best friend a guy could have, even when you were not there."

I felt tears in my eyes, but before I could allow myself to cry, there was a knock on the door and an angry voice yelled from the other side "Shuyin, are you in there! I want to talk to you, son!"

* * *

A/N: So, did you like it? Let me know if you did and I promise I'll try to update sooner next time… ;-) Cia soon. 


	5. Chapter 4: Family reunion

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Family reunion**_

Shuyin and I looked at each other at the sound of that voice. We both knew who it was, but none of us was too pleased with that. Shuyin let go of me and stood up, his fists clenched and his jaw set.

"Shuyin…" I called, trying to make him look at me "Aren't you letting your own father in your house?"

His softness and playfulness from before were gone when he looked at me again. "He's not welcome here and he should know that already."

"But he seems―"

"Drunk, as always." He completed sternly. Then he sat back and turned to me, a desperate look in his eyes "I can't let him in while you're in here, Yuna. I'm sorry, but it's for your own good."

"What do you mean?" I was clueless about what he was saying.

"Last time he found me with a girl… well, he hit her. And I completely lost control and I beat him up, my own father, as you call him. He ended up in the hospital 'cause of me…"

"It's not your fault, Shuyin. He deserved it. If it was any other guy you would have done the same, wouldn't you? And I bet Lenne was so proud of you for sticking up for her."

He snapped his head back at me. "How did you know it was Lenne?"

"Because she's the only one you would ever, ever, let come this close." I responded peacefully.

"I let you too…"

"It's different. I've always been your―" I stopped abruptly and swallowed hard but Shuyin had understood what my next words would be: _I've always been your brother's girl._ He just smiled a little and caressed my arm.

"Yeah, you've always been my little sister."

We both smiled at each other, while Jecht kept knocking on the door, threatening to throw it down if no one opened it up. Shuyin shrugged, told me to hide in his room and readied himself to face his father. I did as he told me and got into his messed and dark room, but didn't close the door for I wanted to see what was going on in the other room.

Shuyin opened up the door and Jecht stumbled into the house, looking drunker than ever.

"Whaddya want?" Shuyin asked, without even closing the door and leaning against a wall.

"I wanna talk to you! You're my son and I―"

"Cut the craps, Jecht, and go straight to the point!"

Jecht gazed at Shuyin with a surprised look on his eyes. He was so different from what I remembered. He had gotten shorter in the last couple of years, his hair was long and his beard covered his face, his skin was filthy and if I had felt sorry for Shuyin's outfit, what could I say about his father's? It looked like the man was sleeping on the streets.

"Okay, boy, I thought we could talk, but if ya don't wanna, it's just fine with me. But then don't come buggin' me tellin' me I ain't a good father and all that shit that little girl of yours puts in your head. Yeah, 'cause we both know she's a―"

"Watch it, Jecht!" Shuyin alerted, folding his arms tightly on his chest "You're not talking 'bout your little street friends."

"And what is she? Always singin' in clubs and that kinda shit. Ya know what men say 'bout her?"

I knew Shuyin was losing control of himself and before he could do anything stupid I stepped out of the room and showed myself, walking straight to him and grabbing his arm tightly. Maybe two years ago I would have never done something like that, because I was too afraid of Jecht (I still remember the day Tidus got to my house with a broken arm and a bleeding nose because his father had been too drunk to notice where or who he was hitting); but now he seemed a very weak man, broken by the alcohol, and I wasn't afraid of him anymore. After all, I had Warrior Training at school and that class was pretty close to self-defence, so I thought I could handle it if Jecht tried anything against me.

Shuyin seemed shocked by my attitude, but I could tell that he was less nervous now, less abandoned. He stepped forward so I would be on his back, away from his father's range. Jecht was looking at me like he had seen a ghost.

"I… I… I know you…" he mumbled, pointing at me "You're Tidus'…"

"Not anymore, no." I answered dryly. All the pity I might have had on that guy was gone the minute he started talking about Lenne.

"What she doin' here, Shuyin?"

"None of you damn business. Just say what you want and get the hell outta my house." Shuyin responded, pointing at the door.

"Well… I… You know, I'm not rich and I need…"

"I'm not giving you money so you can spend it on drinking, dad!" yelled Shuyin, really angry this time "I don't know why you even bothered asking! Now get out!"

Jecht looked one last time at his older son. Then his gaze turned to me and he tried one more time "What 'bout you, beauty? I know Tidus would appreciate if you…"

What happened next was so fast that even now it's hard for me to remember all the details. All I know is that Shuyin jumped on his father and punched him on the face, then grabbed him and threw him out of his house, slamming the door. Finally he turned to me, his breathing erratic, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in the damn room!" he shouted, making me tremble. For the first time in my life I was afraid of him.

I felt my knees go numb and I fell on the ground, not looking at him at any cost. All the strength I had had before was now gone and all I could see in my mind was Shuyin's angry face shouting at me. It was then that I felt two strong arms wrapped around me.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to yell at you. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, Shuyin, I just wanted to help." I apologized, regaining my composure.

"That's what Lenne said too. But let's just forget 'bout it, 'kay?" he replied, kissing me on the forehead. "And I'm really sorry I yelled at you, but that guy… He really affects me, ya know?"

I nodded and hugged him too, sensing he needed my support as much as I needed his. Then, after a while, I got up, pulling him after me. "Like you said, let's forget about it. Let's get out of this place, okay?"

"Sure." he complied, shrugging "Where do you wanna go?"

I grinned, almost forgetting the previous episode. "There's this new café downtown and it's said that they have the best hot chocolate in all Spira. Wanna go check it out?"

He grinned too, licking his lips with anticipation, and we took off to the downtown, where we spent lots of time talking. It was kind of weird at first, being with a friend I hadn't seen in quite a while and talking to him like we had seen each other just yesterday, like there was no past and no hurt feelings between us. But it also felt so good. I guess I just cared about him too much and was not worried about what had happened before that moment: all the pain was forgotten in that brief afternoon. And it was settled: from that moment on we would start over and eventually become even closer than we were before.

It was nearly five o'clock when I looked down at my watch. "Sorry, Shuyin, I gotta go. I promised Lulu I would stop by her house to pay a visit."

"So, how's she and Wakka?" he asked, trying to sound carefree, but I could see that he really wanted to know the answer.

I smirked, remembering Paine's words about her sister. "Well… she's pregnant and he's the happiest guy in the world! I think I never saw Wakka this excited before, not even about blitz."

"Yeah, well… You know that before he and Lu hooked up he was…"

"Still mourning over his brother. I know." I said "She was too. I think they helped each other to get over that and to be happy again."

"Yeah." The melancholia in Shuyin's voice and the sadness in his eyes made my heart ache for him. I knew he wished to somehow get along with everyone just like he had done a long time ago; he wanted everything to be like it had been; he wanted to be happy and to have friends again. But I also knew he had no idea how to achieve that; he was lost…

Suddenly I asked, out of the blue, without even thinking about what I was going to say. "Would you like to come along?"

Shuyin looked at me with uneasiness. His eyes told me that that was his biggest wish and yet his biggest fear. He then said, hesitantly "Perhaps it's best if I don't go… yet. A lot has happened and I don't know if this is the best time to show up again. Let's take a step at a time: first you, and then we'll see…"

I nodded, understanding what he was saying. I knew it must've been hard for him to be with me again like we had never been apart. With the others would be even harder, so… Well, time would show us all.

-----XX-----

Before I got to Lulu's house I stopped by at my place to take a quick shower and to change clothes. The time I had spent with Shuyin had been wonderful, but I still felt the need to wash away the memories of Jecht stretching his hand to me, pleading for money, mentioning how grateful his younger son would be… I shook my head to try and rid myself of those thoughts that were clinging to me like glue and threw the towel aside, putting on my black hip-huggers and matching them with a baby-pink halter. Then I started spreading some mousse on my hair to make it spiky on its ends; lately I liked that hairstyle a lot. When I got ready I exited the house and crossed the backyard, through the path that led to Lulu's own backyard.

"Yuna!" Lulu welcomed me as soon as she saw me. She was sitting on a large chair on the porch, her baggy black clothes unable to conceal her huge stomach. The baby was growing fast, no doubts on that. "Come here, darling. Sit next to me."

I approached her and sat on a chair next to her, smiling peacefully. I've always loved to come and sit with Lulu, talking with her for hours, sharing every little bit of thought and always asking her advice for any major important decision I would have to make. She had been the first person I had met in Besaid, beside my family, and we had developed a very strong friendship over time; she was like an older sister to me. It had also been through her that I had later met Wakka, Shuyin and Tidus. I still remember that day so well. I had gone to Lulu's house to borrow her some clothes, because she, Rikku and I were going out that night, but the person who opened up the door had nothing to do with Lulu. His messed blonde hair, his beautiful tanned features and his enticing blue eyes caught me at that precise minute and I completely forgot about everything else. It seemed like hours had passed before Lulu came and introduced us. Then they had come with us that night and after that Tidus and I never let go of each other again. That is, until…

"Is something wrong, Yuna?" Lulu asked, her tone worried, making me snap back into reality.

I thought about telling her what had happened with Shuyin and Jecht, but then I glanced at her stomach and thought twice about doing it. She certainly had other concerns, she didn't need to share my own. So I smiled reassuringly and said "Nothing's wrong, Lu. I was just thinkin'…" Then I looked around and tried to change the subject, asking her "So, Paine and Wakka are not here yet, huh?"

She eyed me suspiciously but finally answered. "No, they're probably lost in the mall or something like that. You know how distracted Wakka can be and Paine… well, she's not very patient, I can almost imagine her leaving Wakka alone and going to wait in the car…"

I laughed at that thought. "Yeah, you're probably right. How 'bout you, my friend? How've you been?"

"Well, a little tired, I must confess. Being pregnant isn't exactly easy. I always feel so heavy and so not pretty… I mean, Wakka keeps telling me I'm still beautiful and all that, but I know he just says that 'cause he loves me. I feel so not sexy…" she sighed.

"Hey, soon enoughthat baby will be out here and you'll feel gorgeous once again." I smiled, trying to bring her some comfort.

"Yeah, after that will be the diapers and the sleepless nights and the end of the romance. Well, never mind. Lately I'm just moody…"

"Lu! We're back, ya?" I heard Wakka's voice across the empty house. Soon he and Paine were stepping into the backyard, joining us. "Yuna, nice to see ya." Wakka greeted, sitting next to his wife and putting an arm around her shoulders, which made her smile and made me believe that their romance was never going to end, in spite of what she said.

"Glad to see ya too, Wakka. I just stop by to see how Lu was doin'." I glanced at Paine, but she averted my eyes and went to the end of the porch, where Lulu's Moogle was resting. She kneeled down beside it and stroked its head lightly, a tender smile spreading over her lips as she did so. The Moogle woke up and stretched its little arms to her, allowing her to pick it up.

"She's the one who takes care of him now." Lulu said, following my gaze "I don't have much time or patience, as a matter of fact."

Wakka smiled and planted a kiss on her cheek "You have other things to worry 'bout, dear. More important things, ya?" His hand rested on her stomach and she smiled back to him.

I felt kind of left out of that picture of love so I stood up and walked over to Paine, who was playing around with the Moogle. I knew Lulu and Wakka would not notice my absence.

"Feeling better?" I asked, as I sat next to her.

"I wasn't feeling bad, for a start." She retorted, nudging the Moogle's red pom-pom as he tried to climb to her lap.

"Well, you certainly didn't look well at lunch time, but never mind. I shouldn't have asked; it's your business." I snapped back. Her attitude was starting to get on my nerves, but I really didn't want to begin an argument with Paine. For Yevon's sake, she was one of my best friends!

"Look, Yuna, if you're here to talk about what happened at lunch, this really isn't a good time." She said, a little smoother this time. "I'm just having a bad day, ya know…"

"Okay." I complied. We sat there for a few moments and then I said "I'm not having the best day either."

She eyed me, but stood still. If I wanted to talk she would listen, but she would never ask. The main difference between us was that I _wanted_ to talk.

"I passed over Shuyin's house earlier today." I started "And we made up, which makes me so happy, because I really love him―"

"I thought you loved his brother…" Paine interrupted me, attempting to understand the story.

I let out a smile, trying not to think too much about Tidus. "And I did. But I love Shuyin too, as a brother. He was one of my closest friends and only today did I realize how much I've missed his friendship in the last years…"

"Well, if you guys made up, then what's botherin' you?" she inquired.

"His father. He showed up while I was there, begging his son to give him some money so he could spend it on drinks." I hesitated. "It was such a horrible scene, Paine! To see Shuyin throwing his father out of his house, to see that repulsive man insulting Lenne, to hear him talking about… Tidus. I just felt so…"

"Misplaced?" she said, trying to help me out.

I nodded. It had felt like I was in some other reality, in which I didn't belong. But then again, Shuyin didn't belong in that reality either and he was stuck in it everyday. And so was Lenne, who had once been a happy, bright girl; now, the few times I saw her she was always saddened and near tears. Then, on the other hand, there was this other reality in which I liked to live.

I looked around to see Paine sitting next to me, cradling the Moogle on her arms, Lulu and Wakka were behind us, whispering to each other, and Rikku was running through our backyard towards us. This too was a family reunion, yet so different from the one I had seen a few hours before. In this one there was love and caring and I felt warm inside. I sighed. I just loved my life, so why did I feel like something was missing?

* * *

A/N: I know I said I would try to upd8 sooner, but I couldn't. Sorry. Anyways, here's another chappie. Tell me what you think, plz.

**Da Ker MysTeRr:** Thank you so much. You've been my best reviewer so far and it makes me so happy that you actually like the story… Thanks!

**Hearts On Hold:** I know you want to see what happens when Tidus returns, but 1st I wanted to give you an idea of Yuna's life right now. I know it probably isn't the most interesting thing for you, but it's part of the story and I was actually hoping you'd enjoy…

Anyways, (and this is for all you Tidus' fans) he'll be back around chapter 7 according to my plans. So, stick around and see what happens.

All the others who also reviewed, **thank you very much**. Cia soon.


	6. Chapter 5: In da club

A/N: Hey guys, I'm back!

I'm sorry I took so long to update this time, but time is running short on me right now: got so many things on my hands that I don't find spare time to write… Sorry again.

Enough apologizing, you don't want to read my excuses… So, on with the fic. It's party time!

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

_**In da club**_

"Whatcha need is a boyfriend, girl." Rikku stated, while picking her outfit for that night.

Time had passed slowly on those last couple of weeks and everything seemed to be going well. Lulu's mood had improved greatly and she and Wakka were reading themselves to receive the baby who would come soon enough. Rikku and Gippal were still teasing and picking on each other and I was beginning to wonder if they would ever hook up; it was about time now. Baralai had adjusted just fine and was having a wonderful time with our group. He and Paine didn't talk much yet but she was finally accepting and actually enjoying his presence, which made him so much more contented. As for me, I was spending more time with Shuyin and we were trying to catch up for the time we had been separated. He was becoming a little more light-hearted and easygoing and the only time he seemed more saddened was when we talked about Lenne. I hadn't heard from her since the night she had called me on the phone and neither had Shuyin. I was beginning to worry about her and that was why I had promptly accepted Rikku's invitation to go out that Friday night. I was hoping I would run into her in this club where we were going; I knew she usually sang there, so…

"What!" I exclaimed, looking at my cousin in disbelief. Okay, I knew I should go out more and all the other stuff she had said when she had invited me to go to this new club in the centre of the city. But _needing a boyfriend_? I mean, I was just fine all by myself. I didn't need no guy, whatsoever!

"Yeah, Yunie, you need a guy." She repeated, a broad smile over her lips.

"The hell I do, Rikku!" I told her "I'm just fine the way I am. Besides, I have you guys to keep me company. Friends are better than guys, don't ya think?" I tried to convince her but she just stared at me.

"Yunie, if ya think that, you're weirder than I thought…"

I sighed. "Rikku…"

"Don't 'Rikku' me! You know one thing has nothin' to do with the other. Friends are friends, but you still need a guy sometimes… You can't just French kiss your best friend, can you?"

I laughed at her words. In a certain way, she was right. Friends had nothing to do with guys and, well, maybe I did need a guy. I had been feeling kind of lonely lately, even with so many friends around me. Perhaps it was time for me to look around and hook up with someone. And if it didn't work, well… Whoa, wait a second! I didn't even _had_ a guy and I was already thinking of breaking up? Oh Yevon, I _was_ being weird!

"Okay, Rikku, maybe you're right…" I began, not wanting to give in completely. "But that doesn't mean I need a guy. It just means I need someone to have... a little fun with."

"Yay! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout, baby!" she punched the air above her and made a strange victory dance. Then she jumped off the bed and ran towards my closet "But if you're goin' to hook up with someone you need to look like a goddess tonight."

I laughed again and decided to go with the flow (even if only for that night. The thought of Rikku picking up my clothes everyday scared the hell out of me, even if my clothes were a lot more decent than her own…). So, when she came back carrying a white mini skirt and a deep blue sleeveless shirt, I smiled and tried them on, matching the earrings and the bracelets on my right wrist.

"Ya know, Yunie", Rikku said, absorbed in her thoughts "I think you should take off that necklace of yours…"

I instantly reached for the silver chain around my neck and clasped it tightly. That necklace was very special to me; it had belonged to my mother and it was the only thing that I had from her. When she had died and my father had given me the necklace I had sworn to never take it off and I intended to keep my vow, no matter what Rikku said about it.

"Forget it, Rikku, I'm not doin' it." I told her firmly.

She just shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, whatever ya say, cous. I was just sayin' that it doesn't match your earrings."

I shook my head, smiling again. I couldn't believe she was worried because the earrings and the necklace didn't match. "You're crazy…"

"Hey, no need to offend, 'kay?" she pouted and I laughed. "So…" she continued, forgetting she was supposedly offended. "Do you have any guy in mind already?"

"Hmm… no, I guess not."

"How 'bout Baralai?"

I snapped my head back to look at her, surprised by her suggestion. "Whaddya mean?"

"Well, you guys look really close lately and… he's soooo hot. I thought that maybe you could…"

"No way, Rikku!" I chuckled. "Baralai's just a friend. I was thinking more about… Gippal!"

My cousin almost jumped from her seat. "What!"

"Whoa, Riks, calm down! I was just kiddin'; you can have him, cous." I said, quickly lifting my hands up, before she could kill me.

She eyed me suspiciously, but when she saw me giggling she realized I was just joking and she laughed too.

"So… you like him or what?" I asked, trying to steal a confession.

"Or what." She responded, smiling widely at me. I sighed, thinking I would never get Rikku to confess her feelings for Gippal

When we had finished dressing up and doing our hairs and make-up we descended the stairs and went to pick up Paine. Then we drove off to the club, where we met Gippal, Baralai, Nooj and… LeBlanc.

"Does she have to come along?" I heard Paine mumble beneath her breath as we approached them.

"Whassup, ladies?" Gippal asked, showing off his image, as usual. He was pretty hot in his black jeans and tight red t-shirt. I glanced at Rikku, whose eyes were fixed on the boy in front of her.

"Better than ever, Gippal." I chuckled, passing over him and stepping near Baralai. Whoa! He looked stunning that night! He was wearing beige trousers and a white shirt, which matched his silvered hair and contrasted with his extremely tanned skin. Well, actually he was not very different from the other days, but I guess I was just looking at him differently since Rikku's little speech about how we could make a good couple. I shook my head, realizing I had just been staring at him for what seemed like hours. He was smiling at me, offering me his arm, so I took it and entered the club with him.

We sat at a table near the bar and Gippal immediately went to order the drinks. I looked around at the room; it was huge! It used to be a temple, in ancient times, but then religion had decayed and temples had been abandoned. Now there were a few companies which were trying to recover the patrimony and bring it into the future, meaning, transforming the temples into major clubs, shopping malls and other stuff like that. Even so, I liked the club's atmosphere. It looked like we were in some kind of dungeon all made of stone, with high columns and dimmed lights.

"This is really nice" I commented, staring around.

"Yeah, I like it too." Baralai agreed.

LeBlanc stood up, dragging Nooj behind her. "Let's dance, love."

He looked at us but didn't say anything, following his girlfriend to the dance floor where they started dancing to the sound of the beat.

"Look at that bitch― acting as if she was so important…" Paine said in a cold voice. "Why did she have to come, anyways?"

"Well Paine, Gippal and I invited Nooj and he told Leblanc and she just glued herself to him, if you know what I mean." Baralai answered, looking straight at her. She stared back at him for a few moments and was about to say something, but was brusquely interrupted by Rikku, who had not been paying any attention to our conversation.

"Fryd y zang (What a jerk)!" she shouted angrily, glaring somewhere behind us. I turned and immediately understood what she meant. Gippal stood there at the bar, talking to a beautiful young girl with long blonde hair. She looked like she could melt into his eye and he smirked: another one to add to his long list.

I turned my eyes to Rikku once again. She looked like she could kill someone, her face flustered in anger and her eyes shooting deadly glares in Gippal's direction. Well, my cousin could be the upbeat, cheerful and playful type of girl, but when someone messed with her it meant hell for that person. She could be very mean and vengeful at times, she was no sweetie candy girl.

"Forget it, Rikku." I told her over the table "There's plenty where that one came from." With that I stretched my arm and pointed around, to the many hot guys who were in the club that night.

She seemed to relax a bit and then a devious smile spread over her glossed lips. "Yeah, you're right, Yunie. I'm just going to enjoy the night!"

She then stood up and darted off to the dance floor, where she started dancing with very sexy moves. It wasn't long until a very cute guy approached her, leaning in to ask her a question. She grinned and nodded and they began dancing together. Sometimes she glanced in our direction and I knew what she was doing, so I looked behind me to see Gippal with his eye set on Rikku. He seemed a little bit annoyed, but he surely wasn't going to let it show, it would ruin his reputation. He was a lady's man; he could not afford to truly fall for one, especially if this one was as hard to get as Rikku. So he just grabbed the blonde girl's hand and dragged her to the dance floor, near to where Rikku was dancing, starting to dance with the poor girl, who seemed like she had died and gone to Heaven. Didn't she know how pathetic she was being?

"Hey, Yuna, how are ya?" asked a voice near my ear, startling me.

I snapped my head and met Seymor Guado's face so close to mine that I almost jumped back, bumping into Paine, who was sitting next to me. Seymor was a creepy guy from our college who was always hitting on me. He had been after me since the first day he had seen me in high school, long before I started dating Tidus. During our relationship, Seymor had backed off a little but, as soon as Tidus left, Seymor began to chase me once again. He was just so annoying that I always tried to keep myself as far from him as I could. But sometimes it was difficult, like that night.

"Hey, no need to be scared." he said, backing away and straightening himself. "I was just wondering if you would dance with me?" he continued, stretching his hand to me.

I looked at Paine and Baralai, who were observing the scene, expecting them to save me, but none of them said anything. Then I looked back at Seymor and shrugged my shoulders, smiling forcefully. "Sure, why not?"

_After all, he's harmless…_, I thought, standing up and accepting his hand.

"Who is that guy?" I heard Baralai asking Paine, before Seymor pulled me into the middle of the crowd who was dancing.

He then put my hands on his shoulders and put his on my back, not daring to go any further… yet. I wasn't too comfortable in his arms and I felt really awkward at first, but then I began to loosen up as I got lost in the rhythm of the music. He must have felt me relax in his arms, because his hands caressed my back, getting lower and resting on my waist, and he moved closer to me, rubbing his jeans on my bare legs. I instantly tensed and backed away a little.

"What?" Seymor asked, not letting go of me.

"I…" How was I supposed to tell him that his moves were not welcome?

"Excuse me." Baralai appeared from nowhere and tapped Seymor's shoulder. "Can I interrupt?"

Seymor looked extremely irritated with this, but he just wasn't about to lose his posture. At least not there, not in front of me. So he just forced a smile and stepped back, giving way to Baralai and disappearing in the crowd.

"Paine told me the story." Baralai explained as he placed his hands on my waist "So I decided to come and rescue you."

"Thank you so much!" I said, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him.

"It's alright. I know you would do the same for me."

"That's so sweet, Baralai." I told him, gazing into his big brown eyes.

He seemed a little embarrassed and shrugged it off, starting to sway with the new song that was passing and guiding me in the process. I was not complaining. This dance had nothing to do with Seymor's; in this one I was comfortable, relaxed. After all, Baralai was becoming such a nice friend. We had spent sometime together, talking about Bevelle and our lives there and we had found out that we had so many things in common; we kind of understood each other and that felt really nice…

Rikku crossed our way, moving her hips in sync with another guy. She looked straight at me and winked, with a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She was starting to imagine things, I would bet. But it was only her hyper-active imagination working. Baralai was just a very good friend of mine and I would never want to spoil that friendship because of some minutes of fun.

_Then why didn't you have fun with Seymor?_, a voice, probably my conscience, said inside my head.

Because Seymor was creepy. That was definitely the answer to that silly question. I knew Seymor and I knew that if I gave him the slightest chance he would start to stalk me or something like that and that scared the hell out of me. Besides, I wasn't attracted to him… Wait, did that mean that I was attracted to _Baralai_? No, no, no, no, no. He was definitely beautiful and so good-looking, but still… I mean, he was not my type.

_And what's your type, Yuna? You never met anyone else but 'him'…_ Oow, what an annoying little voice! Why couldn't it just shut up?

"Yuna?" Baralai called softly. His breath on my ear sent a chill through my body and I moved my head slightly so I would be facing him. For one instant, I must confess, I thought he was going to kiss me. And at the time I wouldn't say no to that. But instead of kissing me, he backed away, pointing somewhere. "That guy over there has been staring at us since forever and he tried to call you once. But you were distracted."

I turned and saw Shuyin standing against a wall, his arms crossed over his chest and a frown look on his face. I turned to Baralai and said "He's a very good friend of mine. Will you excuse me one moment, please?"

"Sure. Go ahead." Baralai smiled, motioning me to move, and I made my way through the crowd until I reached Shuyin.

"So you came, after all!" I greeted him, kissing him on the cheek.

"Yeah. You insisted so much that I thought if I didn't come you'd kill me or somethin'." We both laughed and then he asked "Who was that guy?"

I giggled and thanked Yevon it was dark enough so he could not see me blushing a little. "Baralai's just a friend. A good one."

"As good as me?" a sly smirk was forming on his lips.

"No one's as good as you, Shu!" I said, playing the game.

He unfolded his arms and hold me close, kissing my forehead. I smiled and leaned against him for a while, but then I grabbed his hand as a thought occurred to me and dragged him off across the club.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked, hesitating a little bit.

"You'll see." I said, moving towards the table where I sat with my friends. Baralai was already there, as well as Gippal and Nooj. And Paine, of course. Rikku was probably still dancing and LeBlanc was nowhere to be found. Not that I was complaining about that…

"Yuna…"

I turned to face him, stopping in my tracks. "C'mon, Shuyin. I'm not askin' you to stay there, just to meet 'em. If you wanna leave I'll go with you, okay?"

He still looked reluctant about going, but finally stepped forward and said, not very happy. "Okay. For you. But I don't promise anything."

"Thank you." I smiled, kissing his cheek. Then we approached the table. "Guys," I started, calling their attention "This is my friend Shuyin." then I turned to Shuyin "Shu, these are my friends Nooj, Paine, Baralai and…"

"Gippal," Shuyin completed.

"How ya been, Shuyin?" Gippal asked, smirking at him.

"Fine. How 'bout you?"

I was extremely surprised with this little conversation. I had no idea that Shuyin and Gippal knew each other! I mean, yeah, they grew up in the same city and all, and they both knew the same people, like Rikku, but… I don't know. I guessed I was just surprised to see two icons of different times of my life come together and mix everything up. But that was what I had wanted, wasn't it? To bring Shuyin together with the rest of us?

"How do you…?" I started but was immediately cut off by Shuyin.

"Long story, it doesn't matter now."

"C'mon, Shuyin, what's the problem?" Gippal asked and then explained "We grew up in the same neighbourhood and we were friends when we were kids. But then I moved and we lost touch, I guess." he shrugged his shoulders.

"Gippal was Tidus' best friend." Shuyin told me in a low tone, explaining everything in that little sentence.

"Never thought you'd know our little Yuna." Gippal continued.

"Well, yeah…" I replied, sitting next to Paine. "You know how it works, Gippal. People live in the same city and get to know each other and―"

"We met through Lulu and Wakka." Shuyin said in a tone that would not admit any more questions about us. He then sat by my side and looked at Paine. "You're Lulu's sister, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" she inquired, raising her brows.

Shuyin smirked. "Well, now it is."

To my major surprise, Paine returned the smirk.

"I'm going to get some drinks." Baralai said, standing up and heading to the bar. I found his sudden decision a little strange, but didn't have time to think about it because Rikku returned to the table, still dancing and laughing. Well, she was definitely enjoying the night!

"Ahh!" she sighed, sitting next to Nooj and looking around. It was only then she saw Shuyin and her eyes widened till they were large emerald swirl pools. "Shuyin!"

He nodded, acknowledging her presence. Others might have though he was being the bad-boy kind, but I knew better. He was just trying to hide his embarrassment and his uneasiness, building up a wall between him and the rest of the world. He was nervous about this sudden reunion with the people from his past.

But Rikku didn't care if Shuyin just nodded or not. For what it takes, he could have even ignored her, but she would always run up to him and hug him the same way she did, throwing her arms around his neck and talking really fast. "I'm sooo glad to see ya! It's been ages, ya know? We've missed ya!"

He was kind of shocked but she didn't seem to notice it. She was about to go on when Gippal interrupted her, looking annoyed, "Crid ib, Cid's girl (Shut up)! He's got the point."

Her smile faded immediately and she let go of Shuyin, turning to Gippal and glaring at him. Apparently, she still hadn't forgotten his previous actions with the blonde girl. She said, in the coldest voice she could find "E ryda oui, Gippal (I hate you)."

Gippal froze and set his jaw when he heard those words. I could tell he wasn't expecting them. I mean, Rikku had said them thousands of times, but it was always joking and kidding with him. Now it sounded serious and even though he probably knew she didn't mean what she was saying, it was too late for turning back. He slowly got to his feet, directing a cold glare at her, and then left without saying another word.

Rikku sat back again, leaned against her chair and sighed heavily. An awkward silence fell over us.

Suddenly Paine got up and spoke, her cool voice waking us from our thoughts. "I'm bored."

"So, what do you wanna do?" Nooj asked, lifting his head to her.

"Drink." She answered plainly. "Everyone who goes to the bar doesn't bring any drinks… So I'm gonna get my own."

Nooj smiled. "Sure. Go ahead."

Paine smiled back and disappeared in the middle of the crowd. Shortly after that it was Nooj who left, because he had spotted LeBlanc calling him from the dance floor. Finally it was just the three of us and the silence fell over us again: Rikku was absentminded, something really weird, but I believed her thoughts were still on Gippal and she acted weird every time she was with him or thinking about him; Shuyin, on the other hand, was probably thinking how he had let himself being dragged by me into this confusion of friends and strangers; as for me, I was trying to figure out what to say to break the silence. But it was Rikku who spoke first.

"So, Shuyin, why are you here?" she asked, as if trying to forget other issues and turning her attention to him.

He blinked twice and then answered shyly. "I came to meet Yuna. I didn't know she was going to introduce me to all of her friends at once…" Surprisingly enough, he didn't seem annoyed with that. Actually, he was smiling.

"Yeah, it was about time you got yourself back into the world, boy." My cousin said matter-of-factly.

"Rikku!" I exclaimed, opening my eyes to her "Haven't you ever learned what _tact_ means?"

"Yeah." She answered me, not worrying a bit "It means lying and not saying some truths to certain people. It doesn't work for me."

I sighed and shook my head. Rikku would never know how to be subtle.

"You're one of a kind, Rikku." Shuyin stated, chuckling a little. I looked sideways at him and saw him giving Rikku his stunning smile. He was definitely in a good mood that night. I just hoped his mood wouldn't change drastically when he discovered why I had insisted so much for him to come to that club in particular.

* * *

A/N: So, did you like it? I sure did enjoy myself writing this chapter, so I hope you had fun reading it too… Did you? (Shows puppy dog eyes) Review, pleeeease…… 

**Habbo:** I certainly don't mind your criticism, after all, you're only trying to help me out and clarify your own questions. So allow me to explain: this story is told from Yuna's POV, right? So, Paine is described as Yuna sees her, which sometimes may not be the most accurate way. For instance, according to Yuna, Paine acted really strangely when Baralai showed up, but that was because Yuna had never seen her friend acting like that before. But we cannot forget that Yuna only knows Paine for about a year so far; there's certainly lots of thinks they still don't know about each other… Anyways, the characters will evolve throughout the story, and maybe Paine will get closer to your idea of her (I'll try, I promise). And she's not mean, she's just… Paine. ;-)

Well, if I wasn't clear enough or if you have anything else to say, you know what to do: just review… :-)

To all the others, thanks for reviewing, it means a lot to me…


	7. Chapter 6: Bad feelings often come true

_**Chapter 6**_

_**Bad feelings often come true**_

It was about eleven o'clock when all the lights went down and the music died as well. Everyone looked around, trying to figure out what had happened, but before anyone could say anything the lights on the stage lit up again, focusing one single girl standing there, with a micro in her hands. We all knew who she was, with her long brown hair falling down her back and her silky blue dress (not the one she was wearing the night Shuyin got arrested, but another one even more beautiful) clinging gracefully to her body. By the time she started to sing, the lights were on once again and her sweet voice floated through the air, filling the huge room.

I glanced at Shuyin, whose eyes were fixed on stage, following closely every move Lenne made. Suddenly he turned his head to me and our eyes met. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

He wasn't asking, he was stating. Even so, I tried to explain myself. "I wasn't sure if she was gonna be here or not. But you guys need to talk and―"

He shook his head, cutting me off. "I don't know 'bout this, Yuna. I know you're just trying to help, but… Don't ya think you're pushing it a bit?"

I sighed and bent my head. Maybe he was right and I was pushing him a little too fast. I mean, in one single night I had made him met my entire group of friends and now I was trying to persuade him into talking with his ex-girlfriend. Maybe I was getting a little out of line there. It was his life after all.

"You're right." I said, giving in. "Maybe talking to Lenne tonight won't be a good thing. I don't want to ruin your night. I'm sorry if I pushed you." _I just wanted to help you out of your problems..._ I completed in my mind.

He let out a small smile. "Hey, it's okay…" He lifted his hand and was about to mess with my hair when a sudden shriek made him stop.

"Don't even think about it, Shuyin! Do you have any idea how much time I spent doing her hair?" Rikku almost yelled from the other side of the table. We were both so surprised that we just stared at her, until Shuyin burst out into laughing, making me laugh too.

"Hey, that's not funny, you big meanie!" my cousin pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sorry, Rikku, I didn't know." He apologized, still smiling widely. I was so happy with his good mood that I couldn't help but to grin too.

"Goodnight, ladies and gentlemen." It was suddenly heard all over the room. I turned to the stage, surprised that the song had ended already. I guess we were so caught up talking and playing that we hadn't paid much attention to Lenne's performance. "It's a pleasure to share this night with you." She continued as she stared at the audience, smiling at some of her regular spectators. Some people cheered and clapped and her smile widened. Beside me, Shuyin smiled too.

"Are you sure you don't wanna?" I asked him, nudging his arm slightly.

"I… I don't know if I'm ready." He answered me, hesitating a bit.

I just nodded, not wanting to go on with that conversation. I knew he was ready; he was just scared of what Lenne's reaction would be. But I also knew she would be there for him with her arms opened, like she had always been. I was just afraid that if he took too long, she would believe he didn't care about her anymore and would move on with her own life. And they would both be left heartbroken for no good reason.

"Maybe after she ends her performance…" he added, still not sure. I gave him a small encouraging smile and he sighed heavily. But I knew he would go to her and that would be the best for both of them… or so I hoped.

"The next song it's called 'Real Emotion' and I hope you enjoy." Lenne said, as a faster beat came along and she started to sing again, dancing at the same time, in sync with the rhythm of the music. It was a really nice song and I found myself tapping my fingers on the table.

Rikku also began to swing with the beat and she held her arms in the air. Suddenly she stood up and grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet. "Let's dance!" she motioned towards the dance floor, but I stood still, looking down at Shuyin. Rikku also looked at him, expectantly.

He half-smiled at us and folded his arms across his chest. "Go ahead. I'll watch the table for you."

Rikku seemed pleased enough with his reply for she quickly pecked his cheek and almost dragged me behind her. I looked back a couple of times, but Shuyin was once again staring at the stage. _Well, until she finishes singing I have nothing to worry 'bout. I might as well have some fun…_ I thought as Rikku found a good spot for us to dance.

We started moving in sync with each other, lifting our arms above our head and enjoying the feeling. I closed my eyes and drifted to some place else, momentarily forgetting everything except the music. It felt so good… I should definitely do that more often.

After finishing that song Lenne sang a couple more and Rikku and I could go for yet another one, but Lenne was probably tired from all the singing and dancing, for she announced she was going to take a ten minutes break, while the recorded music began to play again.

"Maybe we should go back to the table." I told Rikku over the music.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm getting thirsty."

Well that was not exactly my motive, but I didn't contradict her. I bet if I told her that I just wanted to keep Shuyin out of troubles while he talked to Lenne, she would probably criticize me. _Shuyin and Lenne are not five-year-old kids, Yunie. They don't need a mother…_ I could almost hear her voice saying in my head. I chuckled at the thought of Rikku reprimanding me.

"What's so funny?" she asked, quite surprised.

I would've told her, but the moment she turned to me I saw something she wouldn't like to see at all and the smile instantly faded from my face.

"What is it?" she insisted, moving closer to me.

I had to think of something to keep her eyes out of that specific corner so I pointed somewhere to my right and said, forcing myself to smile again. "See that?"

"Where?" she demanded, trying to look above the crowd.

"There." I pointed again, gently turning her to the opposite direction of the corner where Gippal was making out with some random girl. I couldn't let her see them or that would ruin everyone's night, not to mention the next few days… So I kept pointing, while Rikku stepped on her tiptoes so she could have a better look to nowhere in specific for I had no idea to what I was pointing at.

Suddenly she lost her balance and fell forward, bumping into a guy who was dancing close to us. He had fast reflexes and he grabbed her promptly by the shoulders, preventing her from falling on her face. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, looking down at her.

She lifted her head and smiled weakly (and very seductively), as she met the boy's eyes. She pushed her long tresses behind her back and nodded, slightly batting her lashes. "I'm fine… thanks to you."

_Oh, Yevon! Can't she be more obvious?_, I asked myself, rolling my eyes. Less than an hour ago, Rikku had been pissed at Gippal because he had been flirting with a girl, but now it was she who was flirting with a guy. And the worst part was that I knew that, if Gippal saw it, he would freak out too. Because they were just the same. And that was why they felt so attracted to each other, even if they didn't want to admit it.

"Rikku..." I called, tapping her shoulder. She turned to face me, still smiling. "I'm gonna go sit down, 'kay? And I thought you were thirsty…" I completed, hoping she would come with me.

"You're thirsty?" the boy asked, slightly touching the bare skin of her arm. "I was heading to the bar. Maybe I could buy you two ladies a drink?"

Rikku's smile widened and she winked at me, before turning to the young man once again. "That's so sweet of you,…" she drifted off, waiting for him to give his name, while she waved her hands in circles and eyed him intently.

He took the hint and simply replied. "Rhael. My name's Rhael. So do you wanna come along?" he looked at both of us, but I knew his question was directed to Rikku only, so I declined it politely, also because I was in fact getting tired and sitting down was becoming such an appealing idea.

After Rikku darted off to the bar with Rhael, I moved across the dance floor until I reached our table, where Paine and Baralai were talking in an almost friendly manner. There were a couple of empty glasses on the table and Paine was emptying another one.

"Hey there!" Baralai grinned at me, when I sat down beside them.

"Hey. Where are the others?" I asked, as he handed me his glass, which was still full. I accepted it and took a sip of the sweet blue liquid. Apparently Rikku wasn't the only one to be thirsty for I took another sip right after the first one, drinking almost half of the drink.

"Take it easy, Yuna. That stuff is strong." Paine advised, placing her glass next to the others. Then, she answered my question. "We don't know where the others are. We saw Gippal a while ago but he was with his new dumb blonde pet." I smiled, knowing to whom she was referring. "Oh, speaking of blondes… Your friend had to leave."

"Shuyin?" She nodded "Where did he go?" I would have bet that he had gone talk to Lenne, so I was quite surprised with Paine's response.

"Well, he didn't say where he was going, but he left in a hurry after receiving a phone call. He seemed really distressed about it."

"He also said that he would call you in the morning." Baralai added.

I furrowed my eyebrows. _He received a strange phone call and disappeared without a trace? That's so weird! What the hell happened?_ I asked myself, not knowing what to think about all that.

"Yuna!" I heard someone calling me and I looked around only to find Lenne running towards our table. She approached us and placed a hand over her chest, recovering her breath. "Do you know where Shuyin went?"

Paine raised an eyebrow with a questioning look in her ruby eyes. I glanced at her but my eyes quickly returned to Lenne, motioning her to sit down. "I'm sorry, Lenne, I have no idea. But how did you know he was here?"

"I saw you guys while I was singing. Then I saw Shuyin on the backstage but he just stormed off through the backdoor. I thought that maybe you could know something… Why was he here in the first place?"

"Well, I invited him. I knew you usually sing here and I was hoping that you two might talk, you know." She nodded "He agreed and said that he would talk to you after you finished singing, but then he got a call and left. I don't know why."

"Yeah." Lenne stood up again "Well, I gotta go. The show must go on, right? But please, Yuna, please tell me if you know anything else, okay?"

"Sure. Just gimme your number."

She grabbed a pen and wrote her number down on a napkin that was on the table. Then, after handing it to me, she left. Not even an hour later we were leaving too, heading home, where I took a hot shower to clean myself from the smoke and the sweat and then got ready to go to bed.

"Aww… It was a great night!" Rikku yawned as she climbed to my bed.

"Don't even think you're sleeping here tonight, Riks." I told her, adjusting the covers "We're way too big to share a bed, ya know."

She laughed. "C'mon, Yunie. Your bed is huge, there's plenty of room for me too. Pretty please?" she got on her knees and put her hands together, giving me the puppy eyes.

I groaned. Why couldn't I just say no? Sighing heavily, I finally gave up. "Okay, you can spend the night here."

She jumped out of contentment and then got under the sheets, laying her head on one of the pillows and looking up at me. I turned off the lights and lied down next to her, looking at the ceiling.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" she asked, her huge emerald eyes fixed on me.

"Nothin' special. Just wondering."

"'Bout what?"

"You ask too many questions, Rikku." I smiled "I was just thinking about everything that happened tonight."

"Well, I think this night was great!" she repeated.

"Yeah, well, you're not the one who had to share a dance with Seymor…" I joked, as I rolled over to the side so I could look her in the eyes, even though the room was darkened.

"Okay, I admit it, dancing with Seymor must've been kinda creepy, but you must also admit that being saved by Baralai was rather exciting!" How the hell did she managed to change subjects so quickly and use my weapons right against me?

"I wasn't _saved_ by Baralai…" I pouted, looking at the ceiling once again.

It was her time to go "Yeah, right."

I smirked, not really wanting to go on with that conversation. I was just too tired to think straight and I knew that Rikku could be very persuasive into leading someone to say things they would later regret. So I just said as I shut my eyes. "G'night, Riks."

-----XX-----

I woke up several times during the night, feeling restless. It seemed like every time I closed my eyes I dreamt of something I could not remember the moment I woke up. And the strangest part was that I couldn't erase the feeling that I was dreaming of Tidus. But why in hell would I dream of him? I mean, when he had left Besaid I had dreamt of him often, but then the dreams became more sporadic and now they rarely happened, which only made that night even more outlandish… I just didn't understand. What could that possibly mean?

"You were quite twitchy last night, Yunie." Rikku said, as she sat at the table for our family breakfast. It was about the tenth time in that morning that I heard the same sentence from her and I was becoming quite annoyed with it. "What were you dreamin' of?"

"I've told you a million times, Rikku: I don't know!" I snapped back, pouring coffee into the cups.

"Bad dreams, huh, Yuna?" Uncle Cid asked, taking a bite of his toast.

"I don't know." I repeated "I just don't remember what I dreamed of… It's weird, I know. The worst part is that I can't stop this bad feeling I have. Something's gonna happen and it ain't gonna be good." I was speaking more to myself than to the others, but they all had heard and were just staring at me.

"Relax, Yunie. Nothing's gonna happen, you'll see." Rikku patted my back before turning her gaze to the empty chair in front of her. "Anyways, Pops, where's Brother?"

Cid shrugged, continuing to eat his meal. "Don't know. He didn't come home last night."

Rikku and I nodded and continued eating our breakfast. It was no big deal if Brother hadn't spent the night at home. He was often away with his friends or with girls, especially with girls. He was completely crazy about the opposite sex, I must say. He had even hit on me when I had moved to their house, and I was his cousin… It had been a while before I could get him to realize that he wouldn't get any from me. Well, he was also a bit slow at times, so…

Suddenly my cell phone began to ring. I ran to get it and looked at the display. _Private number? Who the hell―?_ I said to myself as I answered the call. "Hello?"

"Yuna." I was greeted by a very familiar and very tired voice from the other side of the line.

"Shuyin! Are you okay? What happened? Where are you?" I stopped myself, realizing I had asked all that with one single breath.

"Calm down, Yuna. I'm fine." he answered, but I found it hard to believe. His tone betrayed his statement.

"Where are you?" I demanded again, more firmly this time.

"I'm at the hospital."

My jaw dropped and I was unable to speak. In front of me, Rikku and Cid eyed me intently, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on. "At the― At the hospital?" I stuttered, panic growing inside of me. _Please, gods, let him not be hurt, please…_

"It's not me, Yuna, I'm fine." He said quickly as if he had read my thoughts, which I bet was not very difficult at that time. I sighed in relief and he continued "Could you come meet me here?"

I was surprised by his request and couldn't help but to ask "What happened, Shuyin?"

"Please, just come here." He pleaded, his tone a little more desperate.

I could not say no to him; he needed me. And I just needed to know what was going on, for that bad feeling that had cringed to me all night was now even stronger. "I'll be there in a sec." I said as he hung up. I closed my eyes as I placed the phone on the counter next to me and leaned on it.

"What did Shuyin want? And why is he in the hospital?" Rikku asked me, standing up and moving towards me.

"Shuyin wanted me to go to him. He didn't tell me what happened, but he said he was fine―"

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." I said, absently. "It's just that I cannot stop thinking about this stupid bad feeling… I need to go get ready." I declared, snapping my head up and looking at my cousin and uncle.

Uncle Cid stood up slowly and nodded. "Go ahead, Yuna. If that friend of yours asked for your help, you should go."

"Yeah, Yunie, let's go." Rikku exclaimed, beginning her way to the stairs. But her father's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"You're not going anywhere, little lady. The call was for your cousin only." Rikku seemed a little disappointed. "Besides, you've already told me you'd help me with those new machines, so…"

That was enough to bring a smile to her lips. Rikku just adored playing with her father's machines. And Cid not only approved that passion of hers but he also encouraged it since she was really little, giving her small machines for her to dismantle and put together again, making her pretty good at it.

Anyways, Uncle Cid's support was precious and ten minutes later I was getting in the car and driving all the way to Besaid Hospital, all by myself.

"Shuyin!" I yelled as soon as I saw him. He had his back to me but turned around when he heard me calling him.

"Thank you for coming, Yuna." He said as he held me in his strong arms.

"Well, we're welcome." I responded bluntly. "Now, can you tell me what the hell's happening here?"

He backed away and looked around, until he found a couple of vague chairs. He led me there and we both sat down. He ran his hands through his blonde hair, and then looked straight at me, a grim face darkening his beautiful features.

"There was an accident, Yuna." He began slowly, as if he was telling a story that someone had told him. "Last night, two cars crushed, killing three people and leaving the others with serious injuries. There were two children involved in the accident: one didn't make it and the other is fighting for her life. Their parents were both killed in the disaster. And the driver that caused it all is still alive, but in a deep coma. The doctor isn't sure if he's gonna make it."

I wasn't understating his point and I blinked twice before carefully asking "And what's that got to do you, Shuyin? I mean, you―"

"It has to do with me, Yuna", Shuyin cut me off, in a whispered tone, with a sad smile on his lips, "because the man who killed those children's parents is… my father."

My eyes widened as realization fell over me. I thanked Yevon I wasn't standing otherwise I would have fallen, for strength had abandoned my legs. My mouth was dry and even if it wasn't I wouldn't know what to say. But the worst part was that there was one single thought screaming loudly inside my head: I was right about my bad feeling all along, and it had just proved true.

* * *

A/N: Hey there! I know this chapter isn't the best, but I promise I'll try to make up it for you on the next, okay? Another thing, I know you're all waiting for Tidus, so I'll try to bring him in the next chapter…

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'll see you soon.


	8. Chapter 7: Options and concerns

A/N: Hey guys, I'm finally back! I'm so so so so so sorry for keeping you waiting, but I've been having a few problems in my life lately and writing was not a priority… I'm sorry anyways.

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** You're right, it's horrible what happened to those kids but it's even more horrible to think that it happens everyday in our "real world"… If only it could only happen in fiction… Well, thanks anyways and here's your update. ;-)

**tidusXyuna637:** Thank you for reviewing and liking this story, it means a lot to me. I hope you like this chapter too.

**Sum1special:** Okay, here it goes. Yes, Jecht was drunk when he had the accident (tell me when's the moment that he's not drinking…). Yes, of course Shuyin's sad about his father, but his emotions are mixed right now, you know… I'll try to explain his feelings in this and in the next chapters. As for Yuna, well… It's clearly obvious that Tidus has still some kind of hold on her (you can say that even though he's not present in the story, he's not quite absent because he's always brought to mind by someone or something). Shuyin's different ― he's the big brother she never had and she tells it to Paine on chapter 4. Baralai… Well, let's wait and see, okay? But I don't think they're a bad couple, do you? Okay, I think I answered all your questions, but if you have more, you know what to do, just click the review button. Thanks.

**LennesLostSoul:** Well, you probably haven't read the whole thing so far but, as I'm answering all of my reviewers (first time I do that), I just wanted to thank you too.

Okay this was my first time answering all of my reviewers (I found some spare time to do that…) YAY! So thank you and enjoy the chapter…

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter 7

_**Options and concerns**_

After Shuyin had told me the whole story, I had called Lenne. He had been against it, but I assured him that she was the one who had asked me to keep her informed, so he finally accepted it, even though still a bit reluctantly. Not even half an hour later, Lenne was entering through the hospital's double doors and Shuyin and her seemed to momentarily forget about all the problems that kept them apart, falling into each other's arms and holding as tightly as they could.

"I'm so sorry, Shu…" she whispered, running her fingers through his golden hair.

"I'm just glad you're here…" he responded, his hands caressing the small of her back.

They were so into themselves that I silently left them alone and went to see if I could find a doctor that would give me some more information. Eventually, I got all the answers I wanted and I even got the chance to see the hurt child and Jecht, who was in a room full of machines and electronic devices which were somehow connected to him, controlling his vital signs. He seemed so helpless, lying in that bed, his body inert and his eyes shut, maybe even forever… I just didn't know if I thought he deserved such punishment or if I pitied him. I think it was a little bit of both…

For one instant I thought I saw in Jecht's sleeping face a resemblance to Tidus… I blinked hard, trying to put away that thought. I really didn't want to think about Tidus right now. It just made me wonder how he would react when he discovered the state his father was in. That reminded me… someone had to tell him. Someone had to call him in Zanarkand and let him know. He couldn't be left out of this one…

That was precisely what I told Shuyin a few moments later, when I went back to meet them in the waiting room. Lenne agreed immediately with me, but Shuyin didn't seem very happy with the idea. I couldn't blame him. Tidus had been away for so long, not even caring in sending a letter to ask how we were doing and now, out of the blue, he should be informed… But keeping him in the dark was simply not right!

I looked at Shuyin once again. "Tidus has the right to know, Shuyin. No matter how hard that is for us, he has the right to know…"

"I know." He ran his fingers through his hair, staring at the linoleum floor so he wouldn't have to face us.

"So… Are you gonna call him?" I asked, sitting by his side.

He was silent for a few seconds. Then he took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and looked at me. "No."

"What!" Lenne and I asked in unison.

"Shuyin," Lenne proceeded "Tidus is Jecht's son, too."

"He must know what happened to his father." I put in.

"I know that!" Shuyin almost yelled, standing up. Some of the people who were in the room glanced at us, but no one said anything.

"But still, you won't call him?" I asked again, lifting my head to face him.

"No." he repeated. "One of you can do that, if you want it so much." He added before any of us could say anything else.

Lenne and I exchanged looks and she must have seen the helplessness in my eyes, for she sighed and shrugged, giving us a small smile. "Okay, I'll do it. I'm gonna see if I can call from here."

She then stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the two of us behind. I looked at Shuyin again. He was silent, his back turned to me, his arms crossed over his chest. I got up and approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It has to be done, Shuyin."

"I know." He responded, turning around to face me. "It's just that… I don't know what his reaction will be, and I'm not sure I wanna know. I mean, what if he doesn't give a damn or if―" he stopped abruptly, as if he regretted his words.

I smiled sadly. "He does give a damn, Shu, you know it. We both do."

He bent down his head. "I know."

-----XX-----

"Yuna! What the hell happened!" Rikku shouted, vigorously waving her arms at me, from the other side of the street.

I crossed the street and met Rikku, Paine and Baralai seated at a table of an outdoor café. They greeted me with concerned looks, which made me understand immediately that Rikku had told them the whole story, or at least the part she knew. I pulled a chair and sat next to them.

"When Rikku called you and you said you were still at the hospital we thought you wouldn't come." Paine said, taking a sip of her coffee.

I smiled tiredly. "Well, your invitation came just in time. I was beginning to feel suffocated by that atmosphere…"

"How's Shuyin?" Rikku insisted. I could understand her worry; after all, when she had called me, a few moments before, I had only told her that Jecht had had an accident and he was in a deep coma. Now she wanted to know more and I couldn't blame her.

"Shuyin's gone home as well. There's nothing he can do at the hospital. Lenne's with him. He's handling it the best he can. He's tough and he'll get through this, I know." I shrugged and then added in a low voice "But I'm still worried 'bout him."

"I've just met Shuyin yesterday, so I really don't know him." Baralai said in his calm voice. "But I don't think he deserves this, I think no one does: having his father lying there without knowing if he'll ever wake up again…" He trailed off and shook his head.

I let out a sad smile. "Yeah, no one deserves it, especially Shuyin… After all he's been through because of that father of his, now he still has to endure another problem because of him. And those poor kids… I think what Shuyin grieves the most is the fact that his father was the one responsible for the accident…"

"Shuyin isn't very fond of his father, you see." Rikku explained to Paine and Baralai.

"Yes," I added "Shuyin has always had a very complicated relationship with his father. Let's just say that Jecht hasn't been a very good father and Shuyin resents that a lot. He and Tidus…" I stopped and looked down. It was the first time I talked about Tidus to Baralai and I didn't know if I wanted to reveal him more than what he needed to know; Tidus was a very private subject for me…

"Tidus?" I heard Baralai ask softly.

"Tidus is Shuyin's younger brother." Paine explained objectively.

"And he's also Yunie's―" Rikku started, but I snapped my head up, glaring at her and making her hush whatever she was about to say; and I had a pretty good idea what it would be.

Baralai looked at me, trying to understand, but he didn't ask anything and I thanked him silently. It wasn't like I was trying to conceal my former relationship with Tidus; I just wasn't in the mood to talk about that right now, especially not after Lenne's phone call to Zanarkand. As incredibly as it might seem, she had succeeded in reaching Tidus. She had called the information service and asked to call the Zanarkand Abes Blitzball Stadium. When the connection was made, a very nice lady responded from the other side and Lenne explained her that she had some urgency in talking to Tidus, since his father had had an accident and was badly injured. The lady had asked her a few questions, as if trying to make sure she was not another crazy fan who just wanted to speak a couple of words to her favourite blitzer, and then she had told Lenne to wait while she was going to inform Tidus, who took the call immediately.

Lenne hadn't exactly told me and Shuyin about her conversation with Tidus. From the time she had been gone, I could tell that they had talked about a lot more than what she told us. Anyways, at the end she had said that Tidus was planning on taking a license from blitzball and coming to Besaid to see his father. As it was expected, Shuyin didn't take it too well (and to be honest, neither did I), but he didn't grumble too much about it.

"He can do whatever he wants." He had said. "As long as he doesn't come to me, I don't care."

But I knew he cared. He cared a lot and that was the main reason why it was being so hard for him to accept it. That was why I was worried about him. Because I didn't know what was going to happen if his brother did in fact come to Besaid. It had been too long and a lot had changed since Tidus had left… Why was he coming? It couldn't be just to "see" his father… I mean, Tidus didn't hate Jecht as much as Shuyin did, but he didn't arbour good feelings toward his father either. What was he expecting to find in Besaid?

Rikku's voice awoke me from my thoughts. "Well, guys, I got to get going! Have things to do, places to go, people to be with… Well, you know what I mean." She rose to her feet and grabbed her purse and her small jacket, taking one last sip of her chocolate milkshake.

I lifted my eyes to her and tilted my head. "So you invite me here to leave me next?" I teased her, cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh c'mon, Yunie." She said, putting her jacket on. "I have an important date today. You do understand that, don't you, cous?" she batted her eyelids slightly, giving me an angelic smile.

I just laughed. "And may we know who this date of yours is?"

Her smile broadened and she winked at me. "Oh, you know who he is, Yunie, you've just seen him last night. Bye bye."

And she darted off, leaving the three of us looking at each other.

"Do you have any idea who she was talking about?" I asked, glancing at Paine and Baralai.

"With Rikku you never know." Paine said wisely "She may be talking about a person we know quite well or some random guy we've never seen before."

"Yeah." I agreed and nodded. Then I looked inside the café and stood up "I think I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?"

They both shook their heads and I walked in the café, where I ordered a vanilla milkshake and a piece of apple pie before returning to the table on the outside.

"Hungry?" Paine raised her eyebrows, smirking at the vision of my pie.

"I didn't eat at the hospital." I answered simply, taking a little bite.

"We can see that." Paine's smirk widened a little and then she continued "I was telling Baralai what's coming for the test of Spiran History."

"Oh, _that_ test…" I groaned. With all that had happened that day I had completely forgotten about it. When was it again?

"It's Monday. Second period, remember?" Paine continued, reading my expression. "You do remember, don't you?"

"Well, I do now." I rejoined, drinking my milkshake. "I guess I'll just have to spend the entire Sunday studying…"

"If you want to come over at Gippal's, we can study together." Baralai suggested, smiling at me. "Paine's coming too…"

"I'd love that, thanks." I accepted his invitation, returning the smile. Then my face turned serious once again._ But first I'll have to pass by Shuyin's house to check on him; I'm worried… I want to talk to him without Lenne's presence._

"Okay, it's a deal." Baralai settled it.

Paine's cell phone began to ring at that moment and she picked it up, standing up and stepping aside so she could talk in private.

"So," I began, looking at Paine's back "you and Paine are okay now…"

Baralai followed my gaze. "Yeah, well, I think this is the best it can get for now…"

I looked at him and saw the sadness stamped in his eyes. Why was he so sad? What had happened between them to make them so distant in the present? I knew that they had been very close in the past, because Gippal had told me, but I never completely understood their whole story. Of one thing I was certain, though; it was a much longer story than we all thought.

Baralai's eyes met mine and he smiled. "I like your way of acting, Yuna." I blinked, surprised. "You're very subtle in your wonderings."

"It takes a lot of practice." I joked, punching his arm playfully.

"Yeah, I bet it does." He responded, chuckling. Then he added, his tone sad once again "Maybe one day I'll tell you my story with Paine…"

"Maybe one day I'll tell you _my_ story with Tidus…" I replied, looking him in the eyes.

We stayed like that for a while, just looking at each other's eyes, until we were interrupted by Paine's voice. "Am I interrupting something?"

We both looked up at her and she arched an eyebrow, seemingly expecting an answer. Baralai gave it to her. "We were just talking… about you."

"And may I know what were you saying about me?" she continued.

"I was telling Yuna that maybe someday I would tell her how you were when you were a kid." Baralai responded in his calm voice. I admired his choice of words: he wasn't telling the truth, but he wasn't lying either.

"You never knew me as a kid, Baralai." She countered.

"Well, at the age of fifteen we all think we're grown ups, Paine, but I thought that three years later you would at least look back and admit that you were just a kid."

"And why on Spira would I admit that to you?" she enquired quietly, fixing her crimson gaze on his big brown eyes and it seemed to me that more was said in that exchange of looks than in the words spoken.

He was the first one to turn away. "Because I admit to you that I was just a kid back then, and I'm two years older than you…"

She stood silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then her eyes softened a bit and she said, her voice cool as always, but gaining a joking tone. "C'mon, Baralai. Boys are known for their inability to grow up. Look at Gippal, for instance. He's my age and acts like a five-year-old…"

"I'm not Gippal." He muttered under his breath.

She eyed him for a few seconds, thoughtfully. "No, you're not." She then shrugged and turned her eyes to me. "It was Wakka on the phone. He asked me to go home asap."

"Why?" I asked, frowning.

"Something about Lulu, I didn't understand what. I'm not worried, though. I bet it's nothing, Wakka's just overreacting, as usual…" she rolled her eyes and grabbed her coat. "Anyways, I think it's better to check on them."

"Do you want a ride home?" I finished my pie and wiped my lips with a napkin. I knew Paine didn't have a car; Lulu and Wakka couldn't afford one right now, with the baby coming and all that… It didn't make much difference to Paine, though. When it wasn't Wakka taking her where she wanted to go, it was usually me or Nooj, or she just borrowed her brother-in-law's car when he didn't need it.

"If you wouldn't mind…" she replied.

"Dah, Paine. You don't even need to ask." I said, smiling, as I searched for the car keys on my bag.

"Paine." I heard Baralai calling. She must've looked at him for he continued "Could I go with you? I would really like to see your sister again…"

I turned my gaze up to see Paine's reaction to Baralai's request. I don't know if I was expecting her to say something harsh or ironic, but her mild response certainly surprised me.

"If you'd like to come along, I don't see why not. Maybe Lulu will enjoy your presence."

Baralai was just as astonished as I was, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded. Shortly after, we were driving down the avenue leading to our block. When we arrived, I parked in front of my house.

"So, I'll see you guys later." I told them as I started making my way to the front porch.

"You're not comin'?" Paine raised an eyebrow.

I shook my head and smiled at them. "I need to get some rest… Say 'hi' to Lu for me, 'kay?"

Paine nodded and then she darted off with Baralai on her tail. When they disappeared from my sight I opened the door and walked into the silent house.

"Anybody home?" I shouted, even though I knew I wouldn't receive any response. Uncle Cid was probably still working, Brother must have been on a date or something, and Rikku was definitely on one, according to what she had told me earlier.

I went upstairs and entered my room, taking off my clothes and stepping into the shower. After a few minutes of enjoying the hot water run down my body I turned it off, grabbing a towel and drying myself up. Then I put my pajamas on and laid down on my bed, covering myself with the white covers before I closed my eyes and fell fast asleep.

-----XX-----

Next Friday I walked out of school with a sigh of relief. The week had been horrible, to say the least. Firstly, my Spiran History test had gone terribly, even after spending the entire Sunday afternoon studying with Baralai, Gippal and Paine. Secondly, my Religion of Yevon teacher had given me an extra paperwork to deliver because she had caught me paying no attention to her class at all. But it was not my fault, not really. I just couldn't help the fact that my mind kept returning to Shuyin and Jecht and Lenne and… Tidus. I was just so tired of the whole situation!

Tired. That was the perfect adjective to describe me at the present time. Tired and sleepy, since I hadn't got one single dreamless and restful night since Jecht's accident. It seemed like every time I closed my eyes I started dreaming and I couldn't get any rest at all. The bags under my eyes and my constant yawning proved it.

To complete my "perfect" week, I hadn't had the chance to talk to Shuyin… alone. When I had passed over his house, on Sunday morning, it had been Lenne who had opened the door, wearing a large t-shirt that I was sure it belonged to Shuyin. It had surprised me to see her there and she saw it in my eyes, for she giggled a little, pushing back a strand of her bright brown hair. "I… I spent the night here."

"Yeah, I can see that." was my only reply. Then I collected myself and asked "Is Shuyin around?"

She shook her head. "No, he's out buying breakfast. Do you wanna come in and wait for him?"

I really didn't want to talk with him while Lenne was present, because there were many things I wanted to say to him that were only his concern and mine, but I was quite curious about what had happened between him and Lenne, so I nod and followed her inside.

"I thought you and Shuyin weren't together anymore… Did you make up or somethin'?" I asked as I sat on the couch.

She sat next to me, smiling sheepishly. "Not exactly. To be honest with you, I shouldn't even have accepted his offer to come here yesterday. But he looked so helpless that I―"

"So you did it out of pity?" I was shocked.

"No, no." she quickly replied as she shook her head fiercely. "I wanted it too. I wanted it so much… It's just that now I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know how to tell him that nothing's gonna change between us. That we're still not gonna be together."

I frowned and said sincerely "I don't understand you, Lenne."

She giggled nervously. "Yeah, I don't understand myself either. But things are just…"

"Complicated." I completed for her.

Her face turned serious. "Yeah. You see, I've got this whole life that Shuyin doesn't understand and… well… I don't doubt his love for me, but sometimes it's hard to believe it." she paused and then looked at me. "Shuyin has always a lot of problems going on in his own life, but he tends to forget that I have problems too, you see. It's like I'm always here to support him, but when I need him, he's only almost there for me… And I can't take that, that's why I broke up with him and that's why I'm not with him right now…"

"But you just slept with him, Lenne." I replied, thinking of how Shuyin would react when Lenne told him that night had meant nothing.

She sighed and brushed her hair off of her shoulders. "I know, but… it was just a mistake, something that shouldn't have happened. I should've been strong and said no to him, but I just couldn't resist him…"

"Why don't you give him one more chance, Lenne?" I asked, placing one of my hands on top of hers. "You still have feelings for him and he's madly in love with you; if you'd talk, maybe things could work out between you two."

She opened up her mouth as if to speak, but the sound of the door opening shut her up. We looked behind us and saw a very happy Shuyin giving us a blissful smile. "Good morning, sweeties!"

"Hello, Shuyin." I replied, smiling back at him. In spite of the whole situation involving his father and his brother, it was the first time in a long, long period that I had seen Shuyin so cheerful. I just didn't want to imagine what his mood would be if Lenne told him what she had told me.

"So, Yuna," Shuyin said as he placed the bags he carried on the table "To what do we owe this wonderful visit?"

I thought for an instant, before saying nonchalantly "I just came by to see how you're doing, but I've already seen that you're pretty good, so I guess I'll be leaving now."

"Don't you wanna stay for breakfast?" Shuyin asked "The bread is still warm just like you like it, lil' sis."

He hadn't called me that in a long time, but instead of feeling happy, I just felt uncomfortable, for it brought back memories of past times of joy and happiness that I really didn't want to remember right now. So I just shook my head and walked to the door. "Sorry, Shu. I'd love to, but I got things to do. I'll see you around." Then I turned to Lenne "Remember what I said, okay? Think about it."

With that said I opened up the door and got out. I was heading towards the stairs when I heard a voice behind me "Hey, what about my goodbye kiss?"

I smiled at his childish tone and turned back, walking slowly towards him and planting a soft kiss on his left cheek. "Happy now?" I said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Only if you give me one more." He replied, extending me the other cheek with a wide grin. I kissed him again, playing his game. Then his smile faded a little and he asked "What did you say to Lenne? You sounded serious when you told her to remember what you said."

"I was. But it was no big deal." I added quickly "I just suggested her something, but now it's up to her to decide if she wants it or not."

"Hum…" his eyes locked with mine "And why don't you want to stay for breakfast?"

I gave him a small grin and winked. "Because I think you two need time to enjoy the moment… And I don't want to be the one to spoil it."

His grin broadened again and I couldn't help but to grin too, kissing him goodbye again before heading for the stairs and leaving his building.

I sighed, thinking that I hadn't seen him or Lenne for the past week, and unlocked my car, anxious to get home for the weekend. Maybe I could get some rest for the next two days… _That is, if Rikku will let me_, I said to myself, sighing again.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I know what you're gonna say: "There's no Tidus!". I know, I know. But… that's the reason why I'm giving you 2 chapters instead of one today. And I can promise you that if you just click and go to the next chapter, you'll have a little glimpse of Tidus. YAY! 


	9. Chapter 8: Was it a dream or reality?

_**Chapter 8**_

**_Was it a dream or reality?_**

"Go Abes! Go Abes! Go!" shouted Rikku, as she entered the house Saturday night.

I looked up from the book I was reading in the quiet living room and saw her doing this crazy little dance with her arms twirling above her head. "So, how did it go?"

She turned to me with a huge grin. "The Abes won the game, of course!"

I forced a smile out and returned to my book. That night had been the last game of the blitzball championship and Rikku had gone over to Gippal's to watch it with the rest of the gang; even LeBlanc was going to be there… Apparently, I was the only one who was missing, but when my cousin had asked why I wasn't going, I had told her that I was tired and wanted to get some rest. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. The fact was that I just didn't want to watch the game. I loved blitzball; I'd loved it since I had met Tidus… But I hadn't watched one single game of the Zanarkand Abes since Tidus had gone to that team, and that day wasn't an exception. I just couldn't stand watching _him_ on TV, so close to my eyes and yet so far away from me… I shook my head, trying to get rid of those thoughts and only then did I notice that Rikku was still talking. I looked at her, focusing on her words.

"…and that Gakkash guy did a hell of a job, keeping the players from the Luca Goers away from the ball. But somehow he always managed to do it. He was really great!" Rikku started jumping in front of me "But our best player was definitely Tidus! He was awesome! He did the Jecht Shot twice and never failed. That's what made us win the game!"

"Gippal certainly didn't look at it that way." came Paine's voice from the hallway. I looked in that direction and saw her leaning against the doorframe, her arms loosely crossed over her chest. I smiled as she pulled herself off the wall and approached us, sitting on the arm of the couch where I was. "He was for the Goers, you see." She explained to me.

"Well, Gippal's an _eteud_." Rikku retorted, turning her face away and tilting up her nose.

"An _eteud_?" I asked, blinking. Even though my mother had been an Al Bhed, there were certain words, especially insults and slang, that I didn't know.

"An idiot." Paine translated. Then she turned to Rikku. "Well Rikku, since the Zanarkand Abes brought down the Al Bhed Psyches, it's only natural that Gippal wants to see them being brought down too, don't you think?"

"But we're talking 'bout Tidus' team here!" Rikku replied, starting to pout. "Couldn't Gippal just see how important it was for me to have him support the Abes?"

"Well, maybe if you hadn't told him you're dating this Rhael guy, he would've supported your team." Paine said, shrugging. She really didn't have patience for this kind of things, especially because Rikku and Gippal argued a lot but they always made up in the end, just like they had done two days after our trip to the club. It was just their way of acting, and their way of making up was even worse, because they picked at each other much more than before the argument. The funny part was that both enjoyed being picked at after a fight.

"I didn't say I was dating Rhael!" Rikku retorted, her blonde braids swirling in the air around her.

"Well, you didn't say you weren't dating him either. Gippal's not stupid, Rikku, he figured it out."

Rikku bit her bottom lip for a second and then continued. "That still doesn't make him right. What was the problem in supporting the Abes?"

"I think you're overacting, Riks." I told her, giving my opinion. "Each one supports the team he or she wants. It's called freedom of choice. I wouldn't have supported the Abes either." I added, more to myself than to them.

Rikku turned sharply to me and was about to say something but stopped in mid-way. Maybe she had heard me, after all.

The sound of the door opening again broke the sudden silence that had fallen over us and we all looked at a slightly drunk Brother stepping inside the living room. He glanced at us and his eyes fixed on Paine, looking her up and down. She rolled her eyes and turned to me again, completely ignoring him. Rikku did the same but before she could continue speaking, Brother took a few unsteady steps in our direction and said, in his Al Bhed accent, his voice hoarse from the alcohol "Paine… I… you… you are so…"

"Out of your league?" she replied coldly, not even bothering to look at him again. I had to stifle a little laugh. When would Brother learn not to hit on Paine? One day, when her patience would run out, he would end up being kicked in the ass.

He blinked a few times before trying again. "I… I don't… understand… I mean… I'm…"

"Drunk." Rikku stated, glaring daggers at him. She then continued what she was saying before, as Brother left the room, looking a little disappointed. "Well, I still think the Abes were the best team on that sphere pool. Even the Goers' coach admitted it. And Tidus was absolutely right about what he said on that interview. C'mon, Bickson was constantly―"

"Tidus gave an interview?" I asked out of the blue. I hadn't wanted to say that out loud; I hadn't wanted to open my mouth; I hadn't wanted for curiosity to gain the best of me; but most of all, I hadn't wanted for them to know my inner questions. Now they were both looking at me and it felt forever until Rikku answered me.

"Yeah, he did, at the end of the game." She glanced at Paine, as if asking her if she should continue. "He said that he was very happy with winning the championship and that now it was time for a break. He mentioned something about taking a few weeks off to visit his family, too."

She eyed me again, but I wasn't paying attention to her anymore; I was lost in my thoughts. So Tidus had publicly announced that he was coming to visit his "family". Did that involved his brother too or was it just because of his father? And what about me? Was I included in any of his plans? I shook my head fiercely. Of course I was not, what the hell was I thinking? Why was I even thinking about it? Whatever Tidus said, it meant nothing to me anymore!

"You okay?" Paine inquired, waking me from my thoughts.

I nodded and half-smiled at her. "Yeah, I was just thinking…"

"You knew 'bout this, didn't you?"

I couldn't deceive her; it was just like she could see right through me. She knew me too well, or maybe I was just too easily readable. Either way, I could not lie to her, so I just nodded again.

"When Jecht had the accident, Lenne called Zanarkand and filled Tidus in." I explained. "He told her he would try to come and see his father, but I thought he wouldn't actually do it. I'm surprised, nonetheless."

"Well, you should know that when Tidus says he's gonna do something he does it." Rikku said, her arms crossed over her chest.

I got up so quickly that Rikku had to step back, otherwise she would have been thrown back. "And you should know better than that, Rikku! Tidus is not the angel you like to think he is!" I spat out, glaring angrily at her, before storming out of the room.

Before reaching the top of the stairs, I heard Paine saying, her voice low. "Let her go, Rikku. Let her cool down first. You can talk in the morning."

-----XX-----

But we didn't talk about it next morning, nor in the few that followed… Actually, we hadn't talked much since our little argument. I was still mad at Rikku for her display of adoration towards Tidus. She just didn't understand me… I mean, she had always been there to support me and she had been the best of friends since Tidus had left, but she had never completely accepted my decision of forgetting Tidus and everything that he had once meant to me. She just loved him too much to understand how I could not love him anymore. I think she had always believed we were going to be together forever and she was holding onto that, hoping that things would work out between us sooner or later. How wrong she was! I had no intentions of sorting things out with Tidus; I just wanted him away from my sight, if possible. If not, well… I hadn't really thought about that yet, I was saving those worries for later.

On the other hand, I knew I had crossed the line with Rikku. What had happened between Tidus and I was not her fault and she still adored him like she had always done (It was amazing that from all the hot guys I knew when I arrived at Besaid, Tidus and Shuyin had been the only ones with whom Rikku hadn't flirted. I think she always saw them as big brothers or something, loving them in a very brotherly way, which was definitely a relief for me ― I couldn't quite see myself dating my cousin's ex-boyfriend). I couldn't blame her for that and I couldn't also blame her for sticking up for him, he was her best friend, after all. I think what most irritated me was the fact that she was going against me for him, like she was… choosing him… over me.

Anyways, I knew I had no right to explode on her like that. Even so, she was the one who came to talk, with her big green eyes filled with guilt and her face saddened.

"Yunie, can I talk to you?" she asked, opening my bedroom door slowly.

"Come in." I told her, knowing why she was there. "I wanted to talk to you too."

She sat on the edge of my bed and bent her head forward. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry, Yunie." She said in an almost inaudible tone of voice.

"Sorry for what?" I sat next to her and prepared myself to apologize too, but she kept speaking.

"About when we argued about Tidus." she turned her head up and faced me. Then she added "Sorry, I should've not said what I said. It was not right from me, I should've kept quiet, but you know what I think about him and―"

I pressed my hand against her lips to make her shush and smiled lightly at her. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have yelled at you. It was not your fault. I was out of line there."

"But…" she trailed off.

"Hey, he's your friend. It's only natural for you to defend him. Besides, I shouldn't have yelled, I completely lost it. I'm sorry. It's just that… it's that time of the month, you know what I mean?" I winked at her, smiling gently.

Her face lightened up when she understood and we exchanged an accomplice smile as we shared one of those "only women allowed" moments.

"So, we're okay, right?" she asked, after a few silent seconds.

I nodded. "How could I not be okay with my favourite little cousin?"

"Hey! I'm your _only_ little cousin!" she said, sounding offended.

"Yup, but if I had other little cousins, you'd still be my favourite one." I said back, my smile broadening, as I nudge her arm playfully.

She smiled back at me and hugged me tight against her. I hugged back, thinking how much I hated being angry with my cousin. Of course we had our little fights, but none of us could take them for long… Well, maybe it was mainly because it was nearly impossible to be angry at Rikku when she apologized in her sweet voice, her huge emerald eyes pleading with us. Well, whatever it was, we always made up shortly after our arguments. And after that we always made a trip to the mall, where we usually spent the whole day, shopping and cruising.

Her voice woke me from my thoughts. "Yunie?"

"What?" I asked, backing away a little and looking her in the eye.

"Let's go to the mall!"

-----XX-----

It was about the third time I'd woken up that night, fidgeting restlessly on my bed until I'd fall asleep once again, only to wake up several minutes later. I looked over to the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was already four o'clock in the morning! Meaning I would have to be up in about three hours or so… I should really try to find some sleep, preferably a dreamless one.

I closed my eyes again and tried to make my mind go blank. A shiver ran through my body and I frowned, pulling the covers up to steal some of their warmth. They were now covering the most of me and I would bet one couldn't even see my face, so buried it was beneath the flannel sheets. The winter was coming fast this year and even though Besaid had a very tropical weather, it couldn't escape the slight change that happened everywhere ― it didn't snow like in Bevelle or Zanarkand (the north cities), but there was a cold wind, coming from the sea, that often travelled the city streets.

So there I was, concealed beneath the covers, my eyes closed and my mind blank, when I heard a small noise. I slowly opened my eyes and poked my head out of the sheets, trying to adjust my vision to the darkness as I looked around the room. My eyes crossed over my closet, my computer desk, my open window… _Wait a minute! Open window? But I'm sure I closed it!_, I thought as I lifted my head up.

It was then that my eyes met two startling blue ones that almost shone in the dark that surrounded the room. I gasped loudly, my hand darting towards the lamp on the bedside table, so I could see who the hell was seated on my bed next to me, but one other hand took hold of mine and below those two bright orbs flashed a line of white teeth.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." said a very sweet and familiar voice.

I blinked twice, unable to believe to whom that voice belonged. It was just so impossible! It was just so… "Tidus?" I asked in disbelief, already knowing what the answer would be.

His hand was still holding mine and he was caressing it lightly with his thumb as his sparkling cerulean eyes looked tenderly at me. "I've missed you so much, Yuna…"

At his words my mouth fell open. I must've been dreaming, that was the only reasonable explanation I could find. Tidus was in Zanarkand and only in my dreams did he appear in front of me like that… Only in my dreams would he say such things to me… Only in my dreams would he look at me like that… Only in my dreams did he enter my room, laying down next to me and holding me through the night… I wanted tonight to be one of those dreams, so I could feel safe and warm; even though I knew that next morning the nostalgia would take over, tonight I didn't care.

I intertwined my fingers with his, pulling him to me, as my other hand made its way to the back of his neck. He willingly came to me, bending his head down until we were inches apart. We stood that way for a few seconds, just looking at each other, until I spoke in a whisper, my voice barely audible "Are you real?"

"Whaddya think?" he smirked, caressing my face with his fingers.

His breath was warm on my face, but it was not the first time I had such a realistic dream of him. So I closed my eyes, leaning against his hand, and said "I think you're just a dream…"

He didn't said anything for a while and I opened my eyes again, afraid that the dream had ended. But no, he was still there, looking straight into my eyes, so close, so close to me… I slowly closed the gap between us and kissed him tenderly, enjoying the sweet sensation that ran through my body the moment our lips met. The kiss felt so real, he felt so real… His lips were warm, his hands were soft, his golden hair was silky…

I caressed the back of his neck ― something I had always loved to do ― and he responded by deepening the kiss. I felt his tongue running over my lower lip as if asking permission to enter. I smiled as I slightly parted my lips and allowed him to explore my mouth. He was so gentle… I just wish I could keep dreaming forever.

Without breaking the kiss, I let myself fall back and we both gently fell onto the fluffy pillows. When we finally broke apart, my breathing was a little heavier and he smiled, finding a spot by my side and laying there. Then he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close to him, kissing my forehead as I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes, to better enjoy the moment…

"Go to sleep, my love. I'm here… I'm finally home."

I opened my eyes abruptly, sitting up and looking franticly around. Sunlight poured through the window, soaking the whole bedroom in its golden radiance, but I didn't welcome its warmth. My eyes were searching for something more, something I knew it was impossible to be there… I glanced at my empty bed, with the sheets tousled, and felt the melancholia taking over me. It had only been a dream, nothing more than a dream… _That's all he is to me: a dream_, I thought, as I felt a tear rolling down my cheek.

Then a sudden breeze entered the room through the window, waking me from my reverie and making the curtains flew up for a while until they fell still once again. I narrowed my eyes, bewildered by this situation; I got up and slowly made my way to the window, pulling the curtains aside only to find my window wide open. I took a step back, astonished. I never, _ever_, let my window open over the night.

For a moment I thought it could have been Rikku, but my mind ditched the idea almost immediately: Rikku would never come in and out without waking me in the process.

I knew it hadn't been me and it couldn't have been Rikku, so… that left me with the most crazy idea in the world: that my dream hadn't been just a dream, that somehow it was real, that _he_ had in fact been there with me the night before…

I shook my head, smiling at my own childish hopes. Then I looked out at the beautiful seascape that I could see through my window and that pacific blue colour made me wonder again. _Was it a dream, or… reality?_

* * *

A/N: Okay guys, I hope you liked it. What do you think it was: a dream or reality? Tell me what you think…

Next chapter, I can assure you, it's gonna be about Tidus returning and meeting Yuna after two years… I'm already working on that, but the problem is that I'm gonna start my final examinations in two days and I'm killing myself studying, so… I have no idea when the next chapter will come out. I'm sorry about that. I'll see ya when I'll see ya.


	10. Chapter 9: Gone a boy, returned a man

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm back!

Now school is finally over and I'm able to return to my beloved fic… and to update it for all of you who have been impatiently waiting.;-) Thanks for sticking around and reviewing. I sure hope you enjoy this chapter - it was not very easy to write, because it deals with a lot of emotion, but I tried my best. Here it goes….

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Gone a boy, returned a man**_

"Hey, Yuna!" I looked over my shoulder to find Gippal racing towards me at the end of the school day. "Wait for me!"

Two days had passed since that very strange dream I had had and I was already beginning to forget it, putting it in the back of my mind, not giving myself time to think about it. It had been strange and odd and out of the ordinary, but hey, it had been just a dream, period.

"Damn, you're fast…" he panted when he reached me, resting his hands on his knees and bending over to recover his breath.

I looked down at him with an amused look in my eyes. "I wasn't even running, Gippal. You're the one who's getting too slow."

He straightened up and gave me his trademark smirk. "Y'know, I never had to run after a girl before, usually it's the other way around."

I smiled and shook my head. "Yeah, I bet it is…"

"Anyways, running after you is always a pleasure, Yuna." He continued as he started walking by my side "You have a very nice… back to look at."

"Gippal!" I slapped him in the arm "You'll never change, will ya?"

"Why should I?" he replied, his green eye sparkling at me "I know you like me just the way I am…"

"What? A conceited jerk?" I asked, letting out a laugh.

He stopped, looking at me like I had slapped him again. I looked back, a small grin playing on my lips.

"What now? Don't tell me you're offended…"

"It's not that." he admitted to my surprise "It's just that… you sounded just like Rikku right now."

I laughed again. "Well, it's natural, Gippal. We're cousins and we've lived in the same house for almost four years. Some of her mannerisms must have rubbed off on me."

"Yeah, you're right…" he walked up to my side again and offered me his arm, which I took, falling into pace next to him until we reached the college's parking lot. "So, where's your car?"

"I haven't brought it today." I told him "Uncle Cid needed to do some improvements on it, so… I'm walking."

"Do you want a ride?" Gippal asked, pointing at his black convertible.

I eyed him suspiciously. "Why are you being so nice? Walking with me and offering me a ride… What's the catch?"

"Why, Yuna, there's no catch. Why would you think that?"

"'Cause this is not like you at all. I mean, of course you're a great friend and all, but gentleman is like an unknown word in your vocabulary. So, tell me. Whaddya want?"

He bent his head forward and then held it up again, looking at me. "I wanna talk to you 'bout Cid's Girl."

I smiled. So _that_ was his real objective. "What 'bout her?"

He hesitated for a moment, but then ended up asking "Is it true that she's dating a new guy?"

"Why would you want to know, Gippal?" I teased, tilting my head.

"'Cause… 'cause I wanna. And she doesn't tell me. Says I got nothing to do with that."

"Well, maybe she's right… You don't tell _her_ about your girlfriends."

"What girlfriends?"

"Nhadala, Ushka, Sunua, Minya, Orhan… Do you want me to keep going?" I asked ironically.

"Are you gonna tell me if Rikku has a boyfriend or not?" he snapped back, bending down his head.

I could tell he was getting annoyed, so I just answered him. "Well, as far as I know, she's seeing someone, but it's nothing serious. Anything is ever serious with Rikku…" I added.

"Okay." He said simply, starting to move again, heading to his car.

"Gippal…?" I called.

He looked over his shoulder without stopping and gave me a smirk. "Well, girl, don't ya want a ride? Then move!"

I narrowed my eyes and let out a little smile. What had been that conversation all about? Should I read between the lines and see the obvious, that Gippal was just jealous because he cared about my cousin, or should I just try to ignore all of it? Well, either way, one thing I knew: I wanted that ride he was offering! So I just ran after Gippal until I reached his car. He unlocked it and motioned me to step in, while saying, with his usual smirk "I knew you would be running after me sooner or later, Yuna…"

-----XX-----

Later on that evening, I just laid on my bed, listening to music and relaxing. I was so glad the school week was over; I needed a well deserved rest, for I had been unable to have a good night of sleep for quite some time now. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sweet music that filled the air ― it was some love ballad about a broken heart, or something like that… I wasn't really paying attention, I was thinking about my plans for the weekend: meeting Shuyin in the hospital, visiting Lulu, hanging out with the girls…

"Yunie! Yunie!" Rikku yelled, entering my room without even knocking first. She was jumping around, squealing excitedly, "Get ready!"

I opened my eyes and sat up quickly, startled by her sudden appearance. It was already dark outside and my room was soaked in shadows. I turned on the light on my bedside table and looked at her: happiness was stamped on her pretty face.

"What's going on, Rikku? You scared me." I rubbed my eyes.

"Oh, Yunie, c'mon, get yourself ready! Everyone's at Lulu's; we must go too." She pulled my arm and started dragging me off the bed.

"Why, Rikku? I'm tired and I―"

"Pwease, Yunie, pwease! It won't take long and you really, really, really need to come!"

I pulled my arm back and sat on the edge of my bed tiredly. "If I go, will you stop screamin' in my ears?"

She nodded vehemently and stood really quiet while I searched for my sneakers. Then I put on a black sweater and pulled my short hair in a ponytail. "'Kay, I'm ready. Happy?" I asked, turning to her.

She shook her head and whispered to me. "You can't wear that!"

"Why not? And why are you whispering?"

"One, because you look sloppy in those clothes; c'mon, Yunie, you're a lot more stylish than that. Two, I'm whispering 'cause you told me to be quiet…"

I laughed, not feeling sleepy anymore. "Okay, Riks, I'm gonna dress nicely just for you. Want to help me choose my clothes?"

I knew that was a mistake, but it made her happy and I was glad just to make my cousin smile. She could cheer the whole world with just that smile.

Fifteen minutes later, we were leaving our house. I was dressed in a short denim skirt and in a light bluish-green halter with a denim jacket over it. Rikku was also wearing some of my clothes: short pink shorts and a red t-shirt under a baby-pink sweater. My clothes were a little big for her, because of her small frame, but she still managed to look cute on them.

We made our way through the gardens and knocked on the back door. Paine opened it up for us and stepped aside to let us in. The sound of happy voices talking and laughing was coming from the living room; it seemed like Lulu and Wakka had guests. I gazed at Paine questioningly, but instead of answering me, she turned to Rikku "You told her?"

Rikku bounced on her feet, smiling guiltily. "Huh… um… Oopsie?"

"Oh, Rikku! You should've prepared her first…" Paine reproved.

I waved my arms in front of them both, annoyed that they were leaving me out of the conversation, and even worse, that they were talking about me. "Well, excuse me. I'm here. Can you please tell me what's this all about?"

Rikku kept her guilty smile as she turned to me. "Well, Yunie, you see..."

She trailed off and Paine shook her head, disapprovingly.

"Well, right now you might as well see for yourself." She said.

I narrowed my eyes but ended up nodding and starting moving towards the living room, while Rikku stayed behind talking with Paine in whispered voices. It was only when I reached the living room entrance and saw who was in there that I understood what Paine had meant about "preparing me first".

Lulu and Wakka were sharing the sofa and in front of them, with his back turned to me, was… _him_. I stopped dead in my tracks, not truly wanting to believe in my own eyes. I could not see him clearly, but I didn't really need to see him; his features were carved in my heart forever… How could _he_ be there?

"I still can't believe you two are married!" he exclaimed.

"Well, we are, ya! And all thanks to you!" Wakka replied with a laugh.

"To me? How?" he sounded confused.

"Well, if it hadn't been for you and Shuyin, I would probably still be trying to find a way to ask her out, ya."

Wakka laughed loudly and Lulu smiled too, amused. _He_ chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. My breath caught in my throat ― that gesture was just so familiar…

In that moment, Rikku ran past me and into the living room, jumping onto his back and screaming in a high-pitched voice "Tidus!"

He turned just in time to grab her in his arms, holding her tightly and lifting her off the ground, with a huge grin on his lips. "Rikster! The most beautiful and the funniest Al Bhed girl in the whole world!"

She giggled, rounding his neck with her arms. "I missed you SO much, you stupid blonde! What took you so long to come back, huh?"

He stopped laughing and put her down, looking a little sad. She looked up at him and he let out a little smile, kissing her forehead. "I've missed you too, Rikku. More than you'd know."

I felt something move beside me and turned my head to look at Paine, who was leaning on the wall next to me, looking at them with her arms folded across her chest. She must've felt my gaze, for she gazed back.

"You should've told me…" I whispered, barely even hearing myself.

"Yeah, we should." She said in a low tone "I told Rikku to explain everything to you, but I think she didn't want you to not come. This was important to her…" she trailed off, but then she added "Tell me, if you'd known, would you have come?"

"Probably not…" I admitted.

She nodded and returned her attention to what was going on in the living room. Tidus and Rikku were once again embracing and when they broke apart he held her at arms-length.

"But let me look at you, girl! Lemme see how much you've grown in these two years!" she spun around to give him a better look of her, all dressed in pink. He smiled broadly. "You're so beautiful! But you got thinner…"

He frowned a bit and tugged at the sweater, making her realize that he was talking about her somewhat large clothes. "You're so silly!" she laughed, slapping his arm playfully "These are not mine, they're Yunie's."

He followed the direction of her pointed finger and his beautiful blue eyes met mine. "Yuna…" he whispered, letting go of Rikku.

I stiffened in my place, not tearing my eyes from his. He took a few uneasy steps in my direction and I felt my heart starting to race in my chest. Suddenly the whole world stopped ― I could no longer hear my friends (I think they were holding their breaths too, but I'm not quite sure…), I could no longer see the room around me (in fact, I could not see anything else but _him_), I could no longer feel anything else but my heartbeat pounding so loud in my ears…

He was now in front of me and we both stood there, looking at each other, none of us knowing what to say. It was so strange being there in front of the guy who had once known me better than I ever knew myself and not being able to pour out my heart like I had done so many times before… But the circumstances had changed; nothing was the same anymore. He was not my love and my life anymore and even though that hurt, I couldn't simply erase those two years and pretend that nothing had happened. I just couldn't open my arms and welcome him back into my life when I was still so hurt with him. No, I couldn't… and I wouldn't let him know just how hard, sad and painful that was to me.

"Hey, Yuna." He whispered, giving me that beautiful smile of his, his eyes tender with memories. "How are you?"

I wanted to be polite with him, to tell him that I was fine and to show him that he didn't affect me anymore. I really wanted to. But I couldn't.

"What do you care?" I snapped back, in a much bitter tone than I would have desired.

He backed away as if surprised by my sour response and the smile vanished from his expression. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"You're asking me what's wrong? _Now_?" I should've stopped there, but I was unable to. There was so much I had kept inside during all that time that now that he was in front of me I could not keep my cool. "Don't you think you're a little too late, like, two years!"

I could see that he didn't expect my reaction and that it had hurt his feelings. Even so, at that moment I didn't feel like feeling sorry or even apologizing to him. I was just too damn mad at him for leaving me, for making me suffer, for breaking my heart…

He narrowed his eyes. "You're different, you know…"

Yeah, I knew. "Well, you've missed a few things."

"You're making it sound like I was the one who lost touch!" Now he was getting angry and his eyes had lost the sweetness from moments ago.

Rikku suddenly made herself visible, by stepping between and pushing us away. "Hey, you two!" she said, her tone a little sad and disappointed. "Now's not the time to argue! You're not gonna start, are ya?"

We both looked at her, then at each other once again. Finally Tidus gave in and started to smile again. "Yeah, Rikku's right, ya know, Yuna? Let's not argue right now… I'm sorry if I did something to upset you, 'kay?"

Two years ago I would have melted in that smile, forgiving and forgetting everything that he had done wrong. But now I had two years of sorrow, loneliness and anger inside of me and I really didn't know if I could, if I wanted to, forgive and forget.

"You just want my forgiveness so you can feel less guilty about what you've done." I said, trying to keep my voice from trembling. "But right now, lessening your guilt is the last thing I'm interested in."

And with that I turned around and ran up the stairs, without even realizing where I was heading. I felt the tears running down my cheeks and I just wanted to lay down on my bed and cry until I had no tears left, but I knew that was not the answer. It's funny, I thought I would never cry again because of any guy, particularly that one; I thought I had depleted all my tears two years ago, drowning all the sad feelings in them; I thought I had got over that love disillusion, and now there I was, crying once again, feeling sad once again, reminiscing all the times we had spent together once again… How pathetic was that, huh?

-----XX-----

I had no idea how long it had been since I had fled to the first-floor bathroom, but the house had quieted down for a while now and I was beginning to think that maybe it was time for me to go back. I felt quite ashamed for running away like I had done, and locking myself up in a house that was not even my own, but I was also very grateful that no one had disturbed me. I think Lulu and Paine had understood that I needed some time alone, and I really appreciated it. My only company had been Lulu's Moogle, with his sweet personality and tender expressions.

"Thanks for putting up with me, little buddy." I told the Moogle, softly patting his head. The Moogle closed his eyes and leaned against my hand, making a pleasured noise. I stroked his red pom-pom one last time, before standing and opening the door.

I stepped out of the bathroom and made my way down the stairs. The lights were all out, except for a small one in the living room. Maybe Lulu was still awake; I just hoped she wasn't awake because of me…

I was about to enter the room when I heard two people speaking in low voices. First I thought that maybe it was Wakka and Lulu, or even Paine and her sister, but then I heard _him_…

I took a quick peek inside the room and saw them seated in one corner. Lulu was resting on the couch and Tidus was sitting on the armchair next to it. They were too far for me to distinguish them clearly in the dim light. But that meant that they could not see me either, so I returned to the shadows of the wall and leaned against it, listening to them.

"I felt like I didn't know her anymore, Lu."

"Maybe you don't." Lulu reasoned. "Yuna's changed a lot in the past few years…"

"But why?"

I knew that Lulu was smiling when she said "Because of you."

"Whaddya mean?"

"When Yuna first arrived from Bevelle, she was just a child who was growing up. She was very pure and innocent and―"

"Are you saying I took those qualities away?" I could tell he was angry with her implied accusation.

"I didn't say that." She replied. "What I mean is that when she met you, she started growing up faster and learning a lot more about life. You taught her many things, Tidus. And when you went away, she kept learning and changing and growing up… She's no longer the girl she was when she came to Besaid."

"No, she's not." He agreed. Then he added as a second thought "Now she's a very beautiful and breathtaking woman…"

Lulu chuckled a little. "You still care about her, don't you?"

He was quiet for a while and I stole a look into the room. He had his head down, as if he was thinking ― or maybe remembering… Would he answer Lulu's question? I tried to tell myself that I didn't care anymore, but the truth was that I was anxious to hear what his answer would be.

But I never got to hear it, for the Moogle, coming out of nowhere, decided that that was the best time to make his appearance and strolled into the living room, heading towards Lulu. She saw him coming from the corner of her eye and the moment she turned her head to look at him our eyes met. I quickly returned to the shadows of the wall and felt my face burning. I had been caught eavesdropping on their conversation! I knew I would have to explain myself to Lulu, but I truly hoped she wouldn't tell Tidus ― that would be the worst!

Thankfully, just like I expected, Lulu didn't say a word, acting as if nothing had happened and changing the subject, as she patted the Moogle. After a short time, though, Tidus said "Well, I think it's time to leave. You need rest 'cause of the baby and by this time Auron must be thinking that I'm spending the night with some girl…"

He had said it as a joke, but it still hurt and I didn't know why. I looked into the room once again, just in time to see him standing up and rubbing the Moogle's head in a way that was meant to be smooth, but that left the Moogle spinning around for about five seconds before falling back. Lulu was also standing and Tidus helped her to her feet.

"Thank you." Lulu ran a hand over her huge stomach "This boy's getting way too big for me to carry him around."

"Oh, it's a boy!"

Lulu's smile widened. "Yeah, it's a boy. But Wakka doesn't know it yet. He wants it to be a surprise, so please don't tell him, okay?"

Tidus nodded and gave her a hug. "You know, Lu, it's good to be back."

"Well, it's good to have you back." she replied.

His voice was gloomy when he said "I don't think Yuna has the same opinion…"

"Maybe." Lulu said vaguely.

"I just wish I knew what's on her mind… and how to get to her and tell her―"

"You've told her enough for one night." Lulu softly interrupted him with a mysterious smile. I knew what she was talking about ― what he was going to say next was not meant for me to hear like that. Besides he thought he was alone with Lulu and that was unfair for him. And Lulu was the fairest person I had ever met, so…

She escorted Tidus to the front door and then came back to the living room. I had come out of the shadows and was now sitting on the armchair where Tidus had been. She sat in front of me, eyeing me closely. We stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. She was the first one to speak.

"Feeling better?"

"Not much, but it'll have to do for now." I told her.

"How much did you hear?"

"Not enough." I answered honestly. That little bit of conversation had not been enough for me to understand ― understand the way I was feeling, what had happened that night, how Tidus felt towards me and so many other things. But in a sense, it had been more than I had expected. "But it made me realize some things…" I added as a second thought.

"The right things, I hope." She smiled "You know, Yuna, you and Tidus have both changed and your relation is different now ― the way you look at each other. But there are things that prevail, you know?"

Instead of answering her, I changed the subject. "I'm sorry about tonight, Lu. I promise it won't happen again. I was just caught off guard; I didn't know he had come back. Next time, I will be more civilized."

"As long as you know what you're doing…" she replied. Then, after a short pause, she added. "Just… try not to hurt him on purpose, Yuna. You'll not feel good about that and you won't be able to forgive yourself. Because of the story that you shared, you are connected and that won't change, my dear. Come what may."

-----XX-----

I silently made my way out of Lulu's house and into my own. Everyone was already fast asleep, I supposed, for I could not hear anything except for the loud snores coming from Uncle Cid's room.

I climbed the stairs and tiptoed to my bedroom, where I locked the door, so that no one would bother me the next day. Then I started to undress myself, taking off the jacket and thinking how stupid it had been of me to listen to my cousin and prep myself up. I was only glad I hadn't put on any make-up otherwise I would have looked completely horrible due to the tears that had fallen that night… Then I heard his words again: _You're different, you know…; Now she's a very beautiful and breathtaking woman…_

I walked over to the full-length mirror I had in my room and looked at myself in it. Yes, I was different. So different from the little girl I used to be… My body had changed ― I was a little bit taller and also a little bit thinner; my hair was shorter; even my clothes were different ― I no longer wore the long skirts and the modest shirts I had used during the boarding school days, now I liked to wear short skirts and tops, clingy jeans and elegant shirts… Yes, I was different indeed. But was I as beautiful as he had said? I'd like to think I was…

Thinking of him, I recalled his image. Lulu was right; he too was changed. His blonde hair was as jumbled as always, his cerulean eyes had the same sparkle in them, his skin was still as tanned as I remembered… But his body was now bigger; he was taller, his muscles had been worked out and were visible through his t-shirt, his shoulders were larger and his features were no longer those of a boy.

I smiled at myself, thinking that, in fact, he was not a boy anymore. He was a man. And a very handsome one…

As I lay in my bed and closed my eyes, one last thought came to my mind.

_He is… breathtaking.

* * *

_

A/N: Well, that was it for now. What did you guys think? Don't forget to tell me if you liked it or not, I would really like to know…

And thanks to everyone who reviewed, you made me so happy. Here goes my individual thanks:

**Tidus&Yuna:** I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner, but school was making it impossible to write. Anyways, I'm glad you loved last chapter, hope you think the same about this one.

**Sum1special:** Thanks, the finals went well and here's the update. Thanks for waiting.

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** It wasn't a cliff hanger… :pouts: Well, maybe it was, but… Anyways, I'm glad you liked the chapters. Shuyin and Lenne will be in the next chapter, I can promise you that.

**WhiteWolf125:** Well, even if it wasn't reality, it sure was a sweet dream… I already know what it was (of course, I'm the one who's writing it), but I'd like to keep you – and Yuna – without knowing it for a while. It's part of the plot, you see… But don't worry, the truth will be revealed… in time.

**Euphoria's Tragedy:** Thank you so much, I'm very happy to know that you do love the story. Here's the update. And I hope that your English exam went well, 'cause I would hate to be the cause of any problems…

**Duderman:** Well, first of all, thank you so much for your review – it sure gives me strength to keep on writing; I'm just so glad you like my story and the way I write. Thanks. Second, Tidus finally showed "his blonde ass"; Yuna's really confused right now, and about Baralai… Well, I've already got his destiny planned, so… You'll find out sooner or later. :-))

**Seelenspiel:** Here it is: the "real" reunion. This time Yuna knew it wasn't a dream, but she didn't react all that well… But she has her reasons for that. Anyways, I hope you liked it nonetheless.

**LennesLostSoul:** Well, I can't talk much about Tidus' feelings, because that would be ruining the plot, but you can see a glimpse of them in this chapter. About Yuna… Right now she wasn't ready to accept him, but maybe in time, who knows? Anyway, thanks, the finals went well and now I'm finally free of school. YAY.

**EmmyroseKhan:** This is what happened. Glad you like it.

**Renegade:** Updating now. hope you like it.

**tidusXyuna637:** It's okay, sometimes I forget to review too… You liked it and that's what really matters. If it was a dream or reality, I'm leaving it for you to guess for now, and here's some more for you to read. Thanks.

Well, this is getting better: 11 reviews for last chapter! I'm so happy! Thank you so much, all of you…

Hopefully, I'll update sooner this time, after all it's vacation time! So, I'm hoping to see you soon.

Oh, and by the way. Next chapter, Tidus and Shuyin will meet again. How will they react? ;-)


	11. Chapter 10: Brothers

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, everyone, but I hope I can make it up to you with this long chapter… I hope you all like it. ;)

* * *

**_Chapter 10_**

**_Brothers_**

I didn't get much sleep that night, but this time it wasn't because I was dreaming, it was because I was remembering. I couldn't keep my mind from thinking about everything that had happened ― all the good things, all the bad things, every little special moment Tidus and I had spent together from the first time I saw him until that very night, when he had returned to my life in the blink of an eye. I still couldn't believe he was here in Besaid; I still couldn't believe he had talked to me like we had seen each other less than a week ago; I still couldn't believe I had answered him with such manners, fleeing to the bathroom and eavesdropping on his conversation with Lulu… I was really ashamed of this last part.

Finally, tired of turning on my bed without finding any sleep, I got up and went downstairs, putting a robe over my pajamas. Looking at my wrist watch in the hallway's dim light, I saw it was almost six in the morning. Perfect! This way I would be able to watch the sunrise from our front porch. I unlocked the front door and opened it silently, stepping outside and sitting on one of the armchairs. Then I leaned back and looked at the sky ― it was turning pink and orange and the clouds were shining like they had a light of their own. It was so beautiful! Suddenly I heard Tidus' words "The city lights go out one by one. The stars fade… It's kinda rose-colored, right? First in the sea, then it spreads to the sky, then to the whole city. It gets brighter and brighter, till everything glows. It's really… pretty." He had told me that the first time we had been alone and he had promised to show it to me sometime. Funny, he never got to do it ― there was no need to; I saw the sunshine every time I looked at him! But since that day, the sunrise had become one of my favorite times of the day…

Thinking of Tidus, I recalled last night once again. What was I thinking when I had exploded on him like that! Was that my way of showing him that he didn't affect me anymore? How sad… And then, as if that hadn't been enough, I had been hearing his private talk with Lulu ― I almost wanted to beat myself for doing that; that was low and it was completely against my values, but still I had done it… I was so angry at myself because of everything!

I sighed deeply, as the sun began to rise in the sky. It was the beginning of a new day ― full of opportunities and new beginnings, even for me. And so, with the sun as my only witness, I silently made the decision to go through this situation of Tidus coming back with as much patience and calmness and coolness as possible; next time I would meet Tidus I would be collected and civilized and I would prove everyone that I was completely over him and what had happened between us. I didn't need to be friendly, I just needed to be polite, that was all. It shouldn't be that difficult…

I stayed on the porch for a little longer, just looking at the sky and thinking. When it was near eight o'clock, I stood up and reentered the house. Because it was a Saturday, the house was still silent, but as I climbed the stairs I heard a faint noise coming from Uncle Cid's room ― probably he was already awake, being the morning person he was. Still, I did not go check it up and went straight to my bedroom. I wanted to get ready to go and meet Shuyin at the hospital ― he had to be informed that his brother had returned and it would be best if he heard it from me than from any other person; I didn't want him to lose his trust in me…

I showered and then dressed in white jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. After doing my hair, I went back downstairs and stepped into the kitchen, where I drank a glass of milk and ate a piece of the chocolate cake I had made two days before. Then I wrapped a napkin around another piece and put it in my bag; I knew Shuyin loved chocolate cake!

I wrote a note telling them where I was and that I had taken Cid's car ― mine was still being repaired and I knew Uncle Cid didn't work on Saturdays, so… I left the paper on the kitchen counter before I left for the hospital.

-----XX-----

The hospital was nearly empty when I arrived, but I wasn't surprised to hear that Jecht had already a visitor. I knew that Shuyin hated his father with all his might and wasn't even _that_ worried about his health, but I also knew that he was responsible enough not to abandon his father in a time like this, and that deep inside he was sad about his father's situation. After all, and not including Tidus, Jecht was the only family Shuyin had left … So, he went there every morning to check on his father before going back to his daily routine.

"It's that little blonde boy that's usually here. I think it's the son." One of the nurses informed me, when I asked who was visiting Jecht.

I thanked her and made my way to the ex-blitzer's room. I slowly opened the door, saying in a low voice "'Morning, Shu. I brought you some chocolate cake, your fav―"

I stopped what I was saying when 'Shuyin' turned. Only it wasn't Shuyin who was sitting next to his father's bed ― it was Tidus! I blinked twice as he looked up at me and our gazes locked. It seemed forever until the silence was broken and I was the first one to look away.

"I'm sorry, I'll come back later." I apologized, turning on my heels and grabbing the doorknob to leave him alone again.

"Please, stay." He asked me, before I could get out.

I looked over my shoulder and saw him sitting there, looking so sad and so lonely beside his sleeping father. At that moment I understood why the nurses had thought he was Shuyin ― he was wearing the same somber expression his brother had every time he came to the hospital… Right now he didn't look like the cheerful and smiling Tidus everybody knew and loved; at that moment he was showing a side of him only a few people had known ― the side that could get depressed from time to time.

He gazed at his father again. "It's so strange seeing him lying here… He used to be so big, in my eyes! And now he is so small and so…" he trailed off, as if searching the right word in his mind. Apparently he gave up, for he looked at me again "Was he like this before the accident?"

By this time I was already by the feet of the bed, looking at Jecht's bruised figure. "He had been broken down by the alcohol. It was all he lived for and it's the reason why he's here." I spoke quietly "I think you wouldn't like to have seen his state before the accident, Tidus."

It was the first time I had called his name in almost two years but somehow it didn't feel strange at all. None of this seemed strange, though it should have, especially after our encounter from last night. Okay, I know I said I was going to be civilized and polite and all that and it's also true that this wasn't the time or place for an argument, but the truth was that I was feeling almost comfortable, talking to him like this…

"I would like to know, Yuna." He responded, looking at me straight in the eye.

I sighed. "He looked like a beggar; like he had been sleeping in the streets for almost a year, which I really don't doubt, seeing that he spent all the money he had on drinking. His hair was long and his clothes were worn out…"

"How do you know all that?"

I didn't know if I wanted to answer that, but the look he was giving me told me he really wanted to know. "I saw him about a month ago, at Shuyin's house. He had gone over to ask your brother for money and when he saw me…" I trailed off, recalling that day.

_"I know Tidus would appreciate if you…"_

I closed my eyes, not wanting to remember.

"What did he do to you, Yuna?"

I opened my eyes again and stared at a pair of cerulean ones. Tidus had got up and was close to me now, looking down at me with worry in his beautiful eyes. I gasped when I noticed our closeness and took a small step backwards. "He did nothing to me; Shuyin would never let him…"

Tidus also took two steps back, as if realizing his impulsive act, and he sat back on the chair. "I hate hospitals!"

I was still too numbed by what had happened in those swift seconds to say anything. What was happening with me? One night I argued with him, the next day I chatted with him and the following moment we were almost touching and… No, I wouldn't go any further on that chain of thoughts. Now we were at a perfectly acceptable distance and maybe I could just pretend that my heart wasn't pounding on my chest. I knew I shouldn't have stayed in the first place; why had I stayed anyways? I was trying to be polite, not friendly…

"These places are horrible!" he continued, running his fingers through his hair "Nobody likes to be hospitalized because no one likes to be ill; and nobody likes to come and visit the ones who are ill, because it reminds them that they can also be ill, sooner or later…"

"And coming to see the ones you love," I said, without even realizing I was speaking "without knowing if it will be the last time you see them in this life is definitely the worst part of it all."

I felt Tidus gaze on me and I blushed slightly. I didn't know why I had said that; I just felt I needed to say it, as if it was necessary to complete the idea. It was something I would never say to just any person; it was too personal for that. But Tidus wasn't any person, he was him and saying that to him was almost as if saying it to myself because of the relation we shared… _Wait a second, Yuna! _I told myself._ You don't share a relationship anymore. Now he's not _him_, he's just another person…_

"You're talking about your father, aren't you?" he asked me, his voice soft and kind.

I nodded. "He was five months in a hospital before he passed away."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You never told me much about it." That was his first allusion to our past together.

"Guess there wasn't much to tell. Besides, at the time all I wanted was to forget." I answered, lowering my head. Then I lifted it up again, only to find him staring at me _Oh, boy! Why does he have to look at me like that?_ "Listen, Tidus, about last night…"

He looked away. "I don't wanna talk about it, Yuna."

"But I do." I said firmly "I want to apologize to you. I crossed the line and was extremely rude to you. I had no right to be like that. Anyways, what I wanted to say was that I'm sorry and that it won't happen again…"

"You were unprepared, that was all." He said, averting my eyes. Then he added, in an almost inaudible voice "I was the one stupid enough to believe things would be great…"

I didn't know what to say to that. Maybe the truth would be the best option. But the moment I opened my mouth to answer and to tell him that things would never be great again, the door of the room opened again and Shuyin and Lenne walked in, hand in hand.

Shuyin stopped abruptly when he saw us ― when he saw Tidus ― and the smile fell from his face to be replaced by a shocked expression. _There goes my chance to talk to him before the two of them meet…_ I thought bitterly when I saw anger flaring in Shuyin's eyes.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Before Tidus could even speak, Shuyin turned his eyes in my direction. "Did you bring him here?"

"No, she didn't." Tidus answered, stepping forward and facing his brother. "I came alone."

Shuyin was still looking at me and I nodded. "Yeah, I met him here. He arrived yesterday."

"Is that true?" Lenne let go of Shuyin's hand and headed towards Tidus with a big smile "And did you have a nice flight?" Tidus smiled a little at her and nodded. "Well, then welcome back, Tidus."

"Thanks, Lenne." He said as she hugged him and kissed his cheek.

I looked at Shuyin. His face was unreadable, his eyes stone cold and his lips tightened in a thin line. He then closed his eyes and took a deep breath like he was trying to calm himself before speaking again. "So, Tidus…"

Tidus and Lenne broke apart and he looked at his older brother. There was hope in his gaze. "Yeah?"

"We both know you're not here to stay, so let's cut the formalities and get straight to the point. When are you gonna go back to Zanarkand?"

We all looked at Shuyin, but Tidus was the most surprised of us all. By the shock in his eyes, I knew he just couldn't believe his brother had asked him that. He had just arrived, how could Shuyin be already asking when he was going to leave? But then again, Shuyin was right ― Tidus wasn't there to stay. He was just there to visit his father… his family… and to take off again. _His life's not in here anymore,_ I thought to myself._ Now it's in Zanarkand._

"Shuyin!" Lenne scolded him.

"What? Don't we have the right to know how long he'll be here this time?" Shuyin retorted.

Lenne was about to reply and, before they started arguing and yelling I stepped in the middle of them. "Hey, remember where you are. This is a hospital room. If you want to fight, go outside."

"We don't want to fight, right, Shuyin?" Lenne said quietly after a while.

He bent down his head. "Yeah, whatever."

Suddenly I took Shuyin's hand on my own. "Hey, Shu, why don't you and I go get some breakfast, huh?"

His eyes lowered until they met mine and I smiled at him. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah, breakfast, like in… chocolate cake. Please, Shu."

"Yeah, go with Yuna, Shuyin." Lenne said, looking straight at him "It's better if you just go for now."

Shuyin just stared at her and Tidus and then turned, dragging me out of the room with him. We didn't talk until we got to the main doors of the hospital, but then I suddenly stopped, making him look at me.

"That was very rude of you, Shuyin." I reprimanded him.

"Which part?" he asked back, his tone angry and insolent.

I yanked my hand free and glared at him, pointing one finger at his face. "Don't you even dare speaking to me like that again! What happened in there was not my fault! I won't allow you to blame me for it!"

Shuyin blinked twice and then his eyes softened and he grabbed my hand again. "Sorry, Yuna. You're right, I'm sorry…"

"You need to control your temper, Shu." I told him "Things aren't the best right now, I know, but you just can't turn against the world because of it. Some people don't deserve it…"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry… It's just that… I wasn't expecting it."

"Okay, I know you were caught off guard…" I said, in a forgiving tone. "The same happened to me last night."

"Last night?"

I sighed "Yes, last night. The difference between us is that the only person I yelled at was your brother…" he frowned a little and I tugged at his hand "C'mon, let's sit down and I'll tell you everything."

We got out of the building and sat in one of the wooden banks in the small garden in front of the hospital. I picked the piece of cake I had brought and gave it to him.

"Here's your breakfast…"

He smiled broadly and took it. "I'm surprised you still remember my passion for chocolate cake."

"Well, don't be. It's not hard to recall. Every time we went out you always asked for chocolate cake and your brother for pancakes with chocolate topping. I think you are both crazy for chocolate…"

He smiled again, but this time it was a sad smile and I wished I hadn't talked about the past. We remained silent for a few moments, while Shuyin ate the cake. Then he turned to me "So… what happened last night?"

"I… I found out that Tidus had returned… the worst way possible." And I started telling him about everything that had happened the night before. Well, everything except for the snooping part. I realized I was still too embarrassed to talk about it in the open, even if it was with Shuyin. So I didn't say a word about it. When I finished, I looked at him "So, this is what happened."

"Yeah, well…" Shuyin started, looking at his hands "At least you just ran off into the bathroom ― and you were in Lulu's house and she's like a big sister to you, so… As for me, I yell at my brother, at my girlfriend and at my best friend inside a hospital."

"Well, Shuyin, it could be worse. At least we love you and you know we'll forgive you… eventually." I joked, smiling at him. "But wait a second! Did I hear it right?"

"What?" he asked, smiling back at me.

"Did you just say 'girlfriend'?"

"Maybe…" he teased, his eyes filled with amusement.

I slapped him in the arm, giggling. "You… you… Argh! When were you planning on telling me this?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. It happened right after the accident and then I never saw you again. We haven't seen each other in… what? A week? Two?"

"Hello! That's the reason why we have cell phones." Then I suddenly hugged him "I'm really happy for you, Shu!"

"Thank you." He said, hugging me back.

"For what?" I asked, backing away.

"For being my best friend… and for being that little voice of reason inside my head."

"I am?" I was truly surprised…

"Yeah, you are. When I'm near you, I get more sensible and collected. Believe it, lil' sis."

That nickname… I sighed. "Why did you start calling me that again?"

"Well, don't you like it? I though you did…"

"I do, but… I don't know. That nickname was appropriated when I was…" I trailed off.

Shuyin frowned, reading my thoughts. "Yuna, I didn't give you that nickname because you were Tidus' girlfriend." He said quietly. "I gave it to you because if I had a sister, I would want her to be just like you."

I smiled again. "Thanks, Shuyin."

"For what?"

"For being my best friend…"

He smiled and kissed my forehead. "No problem." Then he got up and stretched "Now I think it's time to go back inside. I still need to talk to the doctor 'bout Jecht's condition. Last time she told me they would probably have to make a surgery or somethin'… I don't know."

I stood up and put a hand on his shoulder. "Your father's gonna make it, Shuyin. Don't worry…"

He looked at me "You know, sometimes I wish he didn't wake up. That way, it would be one less problem in my life, not to mention in his… He's so weak now. Just a shadow of who he was…"

I didn't know what to say to him. Tidus had told me a long time ago that Shuyin still remembered the days when their father was a great Blitzball player, and a hero to many kids like Shuyin himself. Shuyin's dream had been to be exactly like his father, but then his dream had been broken the first time his father's fist collided with his face and Shuyin had lost his course. He became more lonely and reserved and the only people who were able to bring him out of his shell were his few friends…

"But then," he continued, "another part of me wants him to wake up so I can say all the things I've kept bottled up inside. And even though he's not the best father ever, he's the only one I've got…"

Instead of saying anything that could come out wrong, I just put my arms around his waist and held him close to me, as if silently saying that I was there for him anytime. Slowly his arms encircled me too and he rested his head on my shoulder.

We were still like that when a familiar voice called us. Shuyin and I let go of each other and looked at the person to whom the voice belonged ― Lenne. She and Tidus were approaching us, coming from the hospital.

"Well, well, if you start getting this close each time you see each other, I'm gonna start getting jealous." Lenne said in a joking tone, a big smile plastered on her face. Apparently she was no longer upset with Shuyin.

"Well, Lenne, you know Shuyin's irresistible." I said in the same tone.

She laughed and grabbed Shuyin's arm, saying in a very sweet voice "That's the reason why I'm so happy to know that he's mine."

He melted right away in the smile she gave him and leaned in to kiss her gently on the lips. She returned the kiss and he whispered in her ear "Sorry 'bout what happened back there."

She smiled at him "It's alright. You wanna go somewhere?"

"Yeah, back into the hospital…" he grunted "I need to speak with the doctor about the operation."

"There's no need." Lenne said quickly "Tidus and I have already talked to the doctor and she said that they won't do anything for now. Jecht's been stable for some time and she thinks it's best if he recovers for himself. Besides, this operation is not secure and they don't want to risk it just yet."

"Yeah, I bet they just figured out I had no cash to pay for it." Shuyin groaned, looking down.

"That's not the problem, Shuyin." Tidus suddenly said "I told the doctor I would pay for it and she still said the same. It's risky."

Shuyin and Tidus just glared at each other for a few moments and I felt like I had entered a different dimension or something. The silence was so thick it could be cut down with a knife. I realized I couldn't stay there any longer ― the tension was unbearable and I needed to hear something, even if it was my own voice.

"I should be going now…" I suddenly said. Three pairs of eyes shifted their gaze to me and I felt really uncomfortable "I still have things to do at home…"

Lenne was the first to break into a smile "We understand, Yuna. Shuyin and I have things to do too, don't we, sweetheart?"

He just nodded in response.

"I must go too." Tidus said "I still have to meet with Rikku. She's taking me out for lunch."

"She's what?" I asked, astounded with his words.

Tidus looked at me "Rikku invited me to lunch on the downtown. Why, Yuna?"

I blinked. "For nothing. Nothing at all."

Both Tidus and Shuyin narrowed their eyes (Damn, why did I let them know me so well?) but Lenne just clapped her hands as if she had just had the idea of the century. "Well, in that case, since you're both going to the same place," she pointed towards me and Tidus, "you could give him a ride, Yuna."

"What?" Shuyin asked in disbelief. As for me, I was wordless.

"Yeah, Tidus was complaining about not having a ride and having to get a cab… Now he has a ride, doesn't he, Yuna?" she smiled innocently at me.

I was silent for a few instants, debating with myself. Giving Tidus a ride and being alone with him in the car's small space was the last thing I wanted to do, but not giving him a ride was awfully rude of me, not to mention that I had vowed to be civilized towards him. But in this case that wouldn't apply, right? It would be friendly, not civilized. I could tell him 'no' politely…

"Okay." Argh, why couldn't I just say 'no'! Was it that hard?

Tidus intense blue eyes were locked on mine. "Are you sure?"

Of course I wasn't sure, but I was cornered… "Yeah, you can come." Then I turned to Shuyin "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Will you be alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Dah, Shuyin!" Lenne exclaimed.

"I won't rape her if that's what you're so worried about." Tidus said bitterly. I looked at him again and saw in his eyes that he was hurt with Shuyin. And I knew Shuyin was hurt with Tidus. And they were both hurt with their father… Oh Yevon, was that family ever going to solve their problems out and act like a true family?

I touched Shuyin's shoulder. "Yes, Shuyin, I'll be alright. I'll call you later, okay? After all, that's what phones are for." I smiled, trying to make him laugh but he just grimaced. I sighed. "C'mon, Tidus, let's go."

I grabbed the keys to Cid's car and waved at Shuyin and Lenne, turning around and walking towards the parking lot. I didn't look behind to see if Tidus was following me, but then I heard his footsteps and I realized that I would really have to give him a ride.

I unlocked the car and opened the door, but Tidus got it first and held it for me, touching my arm to get my attention. "Yuna, you really don't have to do this, if you don't want to. Lenne thought it was the best, but―"

"Tidus, this is fine by me." I interrupted him with a wave of my hand "In that hospital room I realized you were… staying for a while and that's something that we must live with. Besides, you're my cousin's best friend… and she's my best friend, so… Apparently we're gonna have to see each other more often than we would've liked, but…" I trailed off, fearing that I might have said more than I initially wanted to.

He just stared at me for what seemed like an eternity and I just stood there, feeling naked under his scrutiny. He was not looking at my body, he was looking at my soul with such intensity that I would bet he could read all of my hidden thoughts…

"Tidus! Oh my gosh!" someone shouted somewhere.

Tidus broke our eye contact and looked around, trying to identify the voice's owner. Then, coming out of nowhere, three high school girls rushed in his direction, screaming hysterically and waving their hands with pieces of paper for him to sign. As soon as I realized they were fans I rolled my eyes but he just smirked and answered their requests and questions.

I eyed him as he gave out autographs and kisses and hugs. There was something so wrong with that picture… And no, it wasn't the fact that he was popular and famous and that the girls were flirting with him. The problem was precisely the opposite ― he was flirting back! The Tidus I knew was also popular and had lots of friends and admirers, but he had never, ever, adopted that 'I'm-so-damn-good-and-sexy-you-must-love-me' attitude. He was acting like a conceited jerk, he was acting like… Gippal. Not like my Tidus.

_Silly Yuna, _I scolded myself, _he's not yours! Stop thinking like that!_

"Do you wanna go out with me, Tidus?" one of the girls boldly asked. I gazed at her and furrowed my brow, thinking I knew her from somewhere. Suddenly she flicked her black hair and I recognized her. I didn't recall her name, but she had been in high school with Tidus and me ― we were the seniors and she was the freshman. I remembered her because she had made a project that involved interviews and she had interviewed me… and Tidus, if I recall correctly.

"Ya know, baby, there's always a possibility…" Tidus winked at her and brushed the hair out of her face "Gimme your number and I'll call you sometime, okay?"

The girl, to whom in my head I had given the nickname 'I-love-you-so-much-Mr.-Superstar-that-all-I-can-do-is-act-stupidly', nodded… stupidly. Tidus gave her his 50 million gil smile and the girl blushed madly, giggling hysterically. Oh boy, how I wished I had a mirror to show her how foolish she was being…

"Well, girls, I would love to stay and chat all day," Tidus took a step closer to me and, to my eternal surprise, threw his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him "but this beautiful lady here is gonna give me a ride and she doesn't take a 'no' for an answer. Isn't that right, Yunie?"

I looked at him, astonished, and opened my mouth to answer him, but closed it again, not knowing what to say. What the hell was he doing? Didn't he have any respect for me whatsoever?

I was about to tell him that, when he leaned in closer and whispered in my ear "Please, Yuna, play the game… or we'll never get outta here."

I don't know if it was his pleading tone or if it was his hot breath on my neck and ear, but the fact is that I found myself nodding at him. He looked me in the eye and gave me a little smile ― not his trademark smile, but a true one, only meant for me… I tried to smile back and slowly lifted my arm to put it around his waist, maintaining the proximity of our bodies. Oh Yevon, it had been so long since I had last been this way with him. It seemed like a lifetime had passed, and yet my hand found its perfect place on his waistline, his arm was still perfectly placed over my shoulders and my body molded itself to fit next to his like two halves that were meant to become just one piece…

I was so lost into these thoughts ― thoughts that frightened me and confused me ― that I didn't even noticed that the girls were leaving with lots of resigned sighs. Only when they were out of our sight ― not that I was exactly seeing anything at the time ― did Tidus dropped his arm. I quickly did the same, instantly missing the closeness and the warmth of his body.

"Thank you." He said, looking down at me.

"It's okay." I answered, maintaining my coolness "Just don't do it again."

He nodded and we got into the car. I started driving home and for the first five minutes we just stayed in complete silence. Then Tidus spoke again, his voice low and calm, not like the tone he had used towards the girls. I wondered where his big ego and his cocky personality had gone to…

"You saved my ass back there. Those girls would stay there all day long just asking questions and making stupid remarks… It'd be hell, and Auron would kill me. Thank you again."

_For one who thinks the girls are so stupid and boring, you seemed pretty enthusiastic_, I thought bitterly. But suddenly another question popped inside my head and before I even realized it, I was letting my curiosity take control again "Who's Auron?"

He smiled. "I'll answer you that if you tell me what's wrong 'bout me havin' lunch with your cousin…"

"What?"

"You heard me, Yuna." He said, still smiling.

_Why in Spira does this guy have to know me so well!_, I asked myself, wanting to hit my head on the wheel. I took a deep breath and then ended up saying "Okay, I'll tell you. But first… Who's Auron?"

He chuckled. "Auron's my father's best friend. He lives in Zanarkand and is the one responsible for me in that city. Well, not anymore… But when I first went there he was, because I was underage and all that stuff, ya know…"

Yeah, I did know. Being underage had been the only reason why I hadn't gone with Tidus to Zanarkand two years before. But Uncle Cid would never allow me, especially being my tutor for only a year or so… No, I would stay right there in Besaid where he could keep an eye on me. And so I had stayed and Tidus had gone away…

"Well, anyways, he's sorta my manager now. He checks out all my contracts and agreements and things like that. Basically, I couldn't picture my professional life without Auron… He can be grumpy and old and boring, but he's also a friend and a…" he trailed off.

"A father." I completed, reading his thoughts.

He just nodded. There was a short pause and then he said. "Well, now's your turn. Spill the beans, Yuna."

It was my turn to smile. "There's nothing wrong about you having lunch with my cousin, Tidus." I innocently said.

"Like I believe that. I saw your reaction, Yuna. I know you're lying and you know you can't lie to me." His comment surprised me and I would like to contradict him, but deep down inside I knew he was speaking the truth.

"Okay…" I said slowly "There's nothing wrong with Rikku and you going out for lunch. The problem is that it won't be just the two of you…"

"Whaddya mean?"

"Every month my group of friends gets together and goes out for lunch on downtown. Today's that day and Rikku's gonna used it to introduce you to everyone."

"What?"

"Yup, that's it; that's Rikku. You should've been expecting something like this from her…" I told him, taking my eyes of the road to glance at him.

"Yeah, I should. But everything seems so different right now; everyone's so different… I guess I thought she would've changed too." He was looking out the window when he said those words and I knew they were directed to me.

I chose to ignore them. "Well, you should already know that Rikku's never gonna change…"

He just nodded and kept staring out of the window.

The rest of the way back to my house was calm and quiet. Tidus and I were silent for most of the way, only exchanging a few words once in a while. When I parked in front of my house, though, he asked if I was going to lunch with them, since it was _my_ group of friends. I remained silent for a few seconds, not really knowing what to answer; I wasn't sure if I was ready to share my group of friends with Tidus ― or was it to share Tidus with my group of friends? ―, but I also didn't want him to understand that I was having these doubts about him, that I wasn't complying with the agreement I, myself, had proposed just a little earlier. No, I had told him that this situation was fine by me and now I would have to oblige. So I just said yes, I was probably going with them. I felt tempted to ask why he was interested in knowing, but I dreaded his answer, so I kept quiet.

We made our way to the front porch and I opened the door, stealing a glance at the chair in which I had been seated earlier that morning. Then, without a second thought I entered the house, yelling "I'm home!"

Tidus followed me inside and closed the door behind him. "I don't think they heard you…" he said, noticing that no one had answered me.

"Oh no, don't worry. They're probably just in the kitchen, eating breakfast." I said, trailing to the living room and dropping my bag on the couch. "They know it's me, so they won't bother coming and checking. You can put your jacket in the closet in the hall." I added, seeing that he was holding his denim jacket in his hands.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

He gave me a small smile and turned, heading for the hall to do as I had told him. As for me, I found myself smiling back and standing there in the living room, waiting for him to come back. When he did, our eyes met briefly, before I lowered mine just to be struck by the vision of his muscled chest, visible through his fitted white shirt. Oh Yevon, his body was so…

"Yuna?"

I looked up abruptly, hoping I wasn't blushing; that was the last thing I wanted and needed right now. "Yeah?"

He was looking at me deeply. "I… I want you to know that…"

But he didn't get the chance to say whatever it was he wanted to say, because, at that moment, the sound of someone clearing their throat made us look away from each other and into the corridor that led to the kitchen, only to find three pairs of swirled green eyes staring back at us.

* * *

A/N: So… I really hope you liked it.

**Seelenspiel: **Thanks.Updating now…

**Da KeR MysTerR:** This is what happened… Hope you liked it.

**Duderman:** I know it wasn't a quick update, but it's a long chapter :)… And I hope it was also worth waiting for.

**WhiteWolf125:** Well, Tidus and Yuna… I don't know… Maybe they'll end up together, maybe not. You'll have to wait and see…

**kyritawuv:** Thank you, but you don't have to cry… ;) And I'll keep updating, you can bet on that, so… you don't have to feed me to Suzie, lol…

**Rachel XXX:** Thanks. Here's the update…

**tidusXyuna637:** Sorry, this was the fastest that I could. Hope you enjoyed.

**LennesLostSoul:** Thanks. As you can see, Tidus and Yuna won't be together 'NOW', like you want them to be, but don't worry ― they don't have any big, bad, dark secrets in their past… At least I think not. But you never know what can happen next… ;).

Okay everyone, see you next time. Until then, don't forget to review and say what you liked and didn't like (so I can improve myself as a writer…). Thank you.


	12. Chapter 11: Meet the gang, Tidus!

A/N: Hi there, it's me again! And here's the new chapter. It's amazing, I never thought I could reach chapter 11, or 50 reviews, and I must say that it's all due to you. You're the reason why I keep writing. Thank you.

* * *

_**Chapter 11**_

_**Meet the gang, Tidus!**_

_This is ridiculous!_, I thought as I sat on Rikku's bed. From all the members of my family, she had been the most confused one and as soon as she could, meaning, as soon as Brother and Cid dragged Tidus inside the kitchen to eat breakfast with them, she pulled me up the stairs and into her room, where we had been locked for the last half an hour. Apparently, the explanations Tidus and I had given downstairs hadn't been enough for my little cousin because she still had lots of questions, even after I explained everything again. This was truly starting to annoy me, and I prayed for a little more patience.

"Rikku, I've told you a million times: Tidus and I aren't friends." I sighed, feeling extremely tired. I really needed to get some sleep…

"But didn't you guys decided to try and be friends?" she asked for the millionth time.

"No, we didn't. At least, not friends. It's more like two people who…" I trailed off, not knowing how to explain. Tidus and I… What were we? Not friends, I was sure of that. Not lovers, that was completely out of the question. Then what? With everything that we had been through together, we could not possibly be strangers… could we?

A bang on the door made me jump. Rikku had been startled too. She got up and opened the door with such violence, ready to scream at anyone who was on the other side, that I almost felt sorry for that person. "What the―" she stopped abruptly when her eyes laid on Paine, standing there with her arms crossed. "Uh… Paine?"

"No, the tooth fairy." Paine replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she made her way inside. She sat on a chair across the room and turned to me, concern stamped on her bright ruby eyes "How are you, Yuna?"

I smiled and ran a hand through my hair, knowing very well what she had meant. "I'm okay, I guess. Thanks for asking…"

She eyed me closely. "You do know Tidus is in your kitchen, don't you?"

I chuckled. Paine had never been the kind of person to go beating around the bushes. "Yes, I do know, Paine."

"She was the one who gave him a ride here!" Rikku announced almost proudly. For one instant I believed she kept hoping we would be together someday, even though she knew that was so unlikely… almost impossible. It appeared that my reaction the night before hadn't been clear enough.

Paine raised one eyebrow questioningly at me. "You did?"

I nodded, feeling she deserved an explanation. "Yes, I did. We met at the hospital and talked… like two grown-up people. We decided to act casually around each other. It's the best for now. We're not gonna be friends again," I added, glancing at Rikku "but at least we'll be…"

"Acquaintances?" Paine leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs.

I smiled. That had been the word I had been looking for… sort of. Not friends, but not strangers either. "Yes, that's it."

Paine gave a little nod, not pressing the subject, and I silently thanked her for her discreetness. Sometimes I wished Rikku was more like that… Oh, what am I saying? Rikku's my best friends precisely because she is the way she is. Just like Paine. They're as different as night and day and they're the ones that keep me balanced between cheerfulness and rationality. I couldn't imagine my life without them in it.

"Well," Paine started after a short pause. "I only came here to tell you, girls, that Gippal called me this morning. He said that he and the guys will be at the restaurant at one o'clock."

"Oh… uh… 'bout that, Paine…" Rikku said sheepishly "Do you think that… uh… Tidus could come with us?" She spoke the last five words so quickly that Paine arched her eyebrows trying to understand.

When she finally did, she answered slowly. "I do not mind Tidus coming to lunch with us, Rikku, even though I still don't know him all that well. But do you think it's appropriated to bring him to our group's lunch… with Yuna in it?"

Rikku suddenly blushed, like she had been caught doing something wrong. "I… I… didn't think… of that…" she stammered. Then she looked at me, guilt stamped in her emerald eyes. "Yunie…"

"I already know, Rikku. Tidus told me in the car…" I paused, realizing the meaning of the words I was about to say "…and it's fine by me. Really. It's just fine."

I didn't know if I was reassuring her or just me, but whatever it was, she smiled broadly and it made me smile too. If it made her so happy, it couldn't be that bad, could it?

-----XX-----

It was past noon when we left my place because Rikku had been spending more than half an hour choosing what to wear and how to do her hair, leaving all of us waiting.

"Whoa, girl! If I didn't know better I'd say you're dressing up to impress someone… Maybe a certain Al Bhed guy who wears a patch?" I teased her, eyeing her yellow miniskirt and her deep-blue sweater. Even though winter was approaching quickly, Rikku couldn't resist using a tiny miniskirt whenever she could ― she was crazy about short skirts; she had a huge collection of them. It was really rare to see Rikku using pants…

"Oh, shut up, Yunie!" she snapped back, light pink coloring her cheeks.

I smiled mischievously, but did as she said, descending the stairs behind her. In the way to the front door, we met Tidus, who was leaving the kitchen, where he had been chatting with Brother and Cid for the last hour, probably about Blitzball. I knew I should have been keeping him company ― after all he was a guest ― but spending another hour with him and in my own house was the last thing I wanted to do, so I locked myself in my room with Paine and we had been there until Rikku came to show us her attire.

"Tidus!" Rikku exclaimed, throwing herself in his arms. "I have great news! Yunie's agreed in giving us a ride to the restaurant…" When had I agreed with that? "The rest of the gang is gonna be there too. I thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce you. I hope you don't mind."

Tidus looked over her head and straight into my eyes. "I don't mind, Riks. But next time, let me know first, okay?"

She nodded vehemently and we all left, after saying goodbye to Uncle Cid and telling him we were using his car… again. We got into the car and I started it, driving away from our block. Paine was in the passenger seat and was really quiet, staring outside the window. Tidus and Rikku were in the backseat, and all we could hear was Rikku's high voice asking so many questions it was impossible for Tidus to answer them all. As for me, I was silently driving and I thought to myself that it was a pretty good thing that I loved to drive, because neither Paine nor Rikku liked it very much. It was always me behind the steering wheel… not that I was objecting in any way.

We arrived at the restaurant in about fifteen minutes, but I wasn't surprised to see that the guys were already there, waiting for us near their car. Gippal, Baralai and Nooj had driven together, since they all lived in the same apartment. There was no sign of LeBlanc, and I wondered if she hadn't come… Paine would just love that.

I parked right next to them and Paine got out of the car, followed suit by Rikku, who turned to Tidus and asked him to wait a little longer while she told our friends he was coming with us. He just nodded and she made her way towards the guys. Now, it was just me and Tidus in the car. I could feel his eyes fixed on the back of my head, but I didn't turn around. I was thinking that the moment we left that car, my life as I knew it would be over. Life without Tidus in it would be over. The problem was that the life that was about to begin was not the one I had wished or dreamt of.

_Welcome to your new life, Yuna._ I sighed inwardly and looked at Tidus in the rearview mirror. "Let's make this work, okay? For Rikku."

He seriously nodded and I felt his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Yes, let's make it work; but not for Rikku… for us."

"Tidus, I―"

"Tidus! Come here!" Rikku shouted, waving and motioning Tidus to join them outside.

He smiled at her and nodded, removing his hand from my shoulder. Then he turned to the mirror once again, searching my eyes in it. When he found them he added slowly, sadly "I still don't know why I'm saying this, but… I'm sorry, Yuna. I really am."

And with that he got out of the car, leaving me alone. I sighed again, leaning back against the seat and closing my eyes. I could still feel his touch on my shoulder and it made me wonder. What was I doing? Where were we going with this nonsense? Who was I trying to kid pretending Tidus didn't affect me? I simply couldn't pretend that nothing had happened between us, but admitting and accepting it seemed just as hard…

"Are you planning on staying there all day long?"

I opened my eyes and saw Baralai smiling at me through the open window. "I was just waiting for you to come and open the door for me. As you can see, I was right…" I joked, smiling back.

Baralai laughed and opened the door, stretching out his hand. I took it and got out of the car, locking it and going to meet the rest of the group, where Tidus and Gippal where explaining Rikku how they had been friends when they were five and then had lost contact.

"I never thought I would meet you again in such circumstances." Tidus said, a boyish smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, neither did I. Even though I already knew you and Cid's girl were friends…" Gippal added.

"Lemme guess ― she couldn't stop talking 'bout me…" Tidus smile widened and he winked.

"Nah!" Gippal shook his head "She only talks 'bout you when she sees your games… and it's only to criticize you."

"Gippal!" Rikku shouted, slapping him in the arm "I'd never criticize Tidus! He's the best player ever!"

Tidus ruffled her hair. "That's the spirit, girl; that's why I love you!"

"Hey, watch the hair!" she exclaimed, dodging his hand while he and Gippal laughed.

"He seems a nice guy…" Baralai whispered in my ear.

"He is." I told him back, looking at Tidus while he chatted with Gippal and Rikku "He's an excellent friend and a really sweet boy."

"Is that the reason why you fell for him?"

I turned abruptly to face him, but when I saw his sweet understanding expression, I couldn't help it but smile, even though it was a sad smile. "You're not very subtle in your wonderings, you know?" I said, making an allusion to a conversation we had had a few weeks ago.

"I'm still practicing." He answered, smiling "Maybe one day I'll be as good as you. But until then you could answer my very obvious questions…"

"You wished, boy." I teased, folding my arms and turning my back to him, while trying to pay attention to the conversation that Nooj and Paine were having.

A few seconds later we entered the restaurant and the waiter led us to a round table in the corner. I was stuck between Paine and Gippal. Next to Gippal was Baralai, then Rikku, Tidus and finally Nooj (LeBlanc couldn't come because she had to go to a family lunch ― what a pity, huh? ―, but she was going to meet us later). I don't know if it was just a coincidence or not, but Tidus and I were almost facing each other, so I tried my best not to look at him, focusing on the menu.

We ordered what we wanted and then Nooj turned to Tidus. "I've seen your games, Tidus. You're a terrific blitzer."

"Thanks, I always try to do my best in the sphere pool. And the team helps me a lot." Tidus said humbly, looking down at his empty plate.

"Talking about your team…" Rikku said, grabbing his hand "You think you could introduce me to one or two members of your team sometime? I think Jaher and Kuhn are the hottest ones ― after you of course ― but I don't mind meeting anyone else…"

"Rikku," Tidus's voice showed his concern for his little innocent friend "I don't think you'd like to meet those guys…"

"Why?"

He smirked and winked at her. "Let's just say that Besaidians are much better than those guys from Zanarkand."

Rikku was about to ask what Tidus had meant with that, even though it was quite clear for the rest of us, but our meals arrived at that moment and the subject was lost when everyone turned their attention to the food in the plates. For a few moments no one spoke ― we were all too busy eating. But then, Gippal's voice broke the silence.

"So, Cid's girl, whatcha gonna do tonight?" he asked, leaning forward to look at Rikku.

She lifted her head and looked at him, surprised. "Actually, I was thinking in going out with Tidus." she turned to Tidus and smiled widely. "I thought we could go to a club or we could go dance… Whaddya think?"

She looked at him expectantly and he nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Gippal frowned a little and asked above Baralai's head "Which club are you thinking of?"

"I don't know…" Rikku thought for a second "There's so many new clubs I want to show Tidus…"

"We could always go to _Fallen Aeons_. It's one of the most popular clubs around." Gippal suggested.

"Isn't that the one we've been to a couple of weeks ago?" Paine asked, taking a sip of her beer.

"Yes, it was." Nooj answered "LeBlanc and I went there last week again…"

But Rikku hadn't been paying any attention to this exchange of words. "_We_?" her eyebrows arched "Who told you you're invited, Gippal?"

Gippal frowned again. "What do you mean? I thought you were talking about the group…"

"Apparently you thought wrong, Gippal." Baralai chuckled.

"No one asked your opinion, Baralai." Gippal retorted, looking at Rikku once again. But she wasn't paying attention anymore ― she was talking to Tidus. "Cid's girl, I'm talking to ya!"

"Oh, Gippal, shut up! Can't you see I'm busy here?"

And once again she turned to Tidus, resting her hand on his shoulder and saying something about the new night clubs of Besaid.

"Is it me, or are you jealous, lover boy?" I asked in a low tone, only meant for Gippal to hear.

"What?" he snapped his head around to face me.

"Just kiddin', Gip…" I smiled, grabbing his hand and squeezing it.

His face relaxed a little bit. "I'm not jealous."

"Of course you're not." I patted his hand and continued eating.

He continued looking at me for a while, but then Baralai asked him something and he turned his attention to his friend. It was then that I felt another pair of eyes set on me. I looked up slowly and saw Tidus staring intensely at me. My first reaction was to turn my gaze away, but I resisted that urge and kept looking back at him. It was like time had stopped. I could hear Paine and Nooj talking, Gippal and Rikku arguing… but none of it mattered. Those deep blue eyes, and the person to whom they belonged, were all I could think of.

"… isn't it, Tidus?" Rikku tapped his shoulder and made him turn to her.

I lowered my eyes again, focusing on my food. A few instants later, though, I couldn't resist lifting my head again and looking at him. He wasn't staring at me this time, concentrating in eating his meal ― a large steak with lots of French fries and a fried egg. I smiled to myself when I saw him taking huge bites and enjoying every single one. He took real pleasure of eating, something I had always found appealing on him, and he ate a lot… he always had. I could still remember the first time he had taken me out to have dinner in a nice restaurant near the ocean. It was then when I found out about his huge appetite ― after all he was a big athletic boy growing up and he needed his diary dose of energy… We had shared a big meal that night, and many nights after that first one, and he had always eaten very much.

I suddenly realized I was staring fixedly at him and quickly looked down… at my salad. Apparently Tidus hadn't changed much when it came to have a nice large meal, but I had. Three years ago I had been a sweet little girl who wasn't really worried about her weight and had been able to accompany Tidus in his large meals, but then, after I had broken up with him, I had lost my appetite and had also lost weight. Then, when I finally thought I was over the love disillusion, I had become used to eat just a little ― salads mainly. Not that I didn't enjoy a big steak once in a while, just not on a daily basis.

Paine elbowed me gently and I gazed at her. She asked me in a low voice "Are you okay?"

I smiled weakly and nodded. "Lunch isn't being as bad as I thought it would be…" I said honestly.

She smiled back and gently touched my shoulder. It was her silent way of saying 'I'm here for you". Paine wasn't a very expressive person, but I knew she was very loyal to her (few) true friends. And I was proud of being one of them. I knew I could count on her for everything, and she knew she could count on me. We would always be there for each other…

"But I want ice-cream!" Rikku whined, hitting her little fist on the table.

"You're gonna be fat, Cid's girl!" Gippal taunted.

"No, I'm not!" she exclaimed, offended. "I never get fat!"

"Well, if you keep eating like that, you are…" he continued "But it's up to you. Eat your ice-cream and get fat and lose all your chances of getting a decent guy, or don't eat your ice-cream and maybe, just maybe, one day I'll take you out."

"Who said I wanted to go out with _you_!" she made a shocked expression "Not even if you were the last guy on Spira, you hear that!"

"Well, it's official, you lost your chances of going on a date with the most handsome guy in this city." He said imperturbably.

"Hello!" Rikku waved her hand in front of his eyes "Tidus here didn't say I couldn't go out with him, did he?"

"Rikku, I don't―" Tidus began, probably to say he didn't want to be involved in their arguments, but Gippal cut him off.

"What do you mean with that?"

"Exactly what I said, Gippal. Are you so stupid you didn't understand?" Rikku asked with an evil smile playing on her lips.

I knew Rikku had no real interest in dating Tidus and she had just said that to make Gippal jealous and I was sure Gippal was going to answer in an even way, so I decided to intervene before the two of them would start really arguing. But Paine was faster than I was. "Weren't you already dating that other guy… what was his name again?" she asked in a really monotone voice, like the answer had no actual interest.

Rikku blushed slightly, but she didn't lose her composure. She held her head high and slowly announced. "Yes, Paine, I was dating Rhael. But… we thought it would be best if we… stopped seeing each other for a while."

"You broke up with him, didn't you, Riks?" I asked, in spite of already knowing the answer.

"It was not my fault!" my cousin whined "He wanted to meet my father for Yevon's sake!"

Baralai chuckled. "Well, it's only natural that when a boy likes a girl he wants to meet her father and her family and all…"

"You think that, Baralai?" Paine raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms, suddenly interested in the conversation. "Well, I guess that's the expected answer from a future praetor of Yevon."

Baralai frowned in confusion. "Future praetor? You're wrong, Paine. I'm not going to be a praetor of Yevon anymore. That's why I came to Besaid, because I no longer needed to study in Bevelle…"

"Yeah, it's true, we forgot to tell ya that Baralai had changed his mind…" Gippal said, leaning forward to see Paine.

She narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, he sure seems to change his mind a lot."

"Only a fool doesn't change his mind, Paine." Baralai said calmly.

"No, Baralai." She replied evenly "Even a fool changes his mind, the only difference is that when he does, it is already too late."

"Ouch! That was hard, Lai!" Gippal smirked.

Baralai didn't answer. He was looking at Paine straight in the eye and she wasn't blinking either. It seemed like they were having a silent battle. Fortunately Nooj, sensing the tension between the two of them, asked everyone if they wanted to go to the movies after lunch.

"There's a great movie that I want to see ― it's a mixture of science fiction and horror and it has even won a Golden Chocobo and everything…" he said, but then he quickly added "But if you'd want to see another one…"

"You know what, Nooj?" Baralai asked, his eyes finally leaving Paine's "Count me in. I think it's an excellent idea."

"Me too, Nooojie." Rikku added, nodding.

"I'll drive." That was Gippal's way to say that he agreed.

"How 'bout the rest of you? Paine? Yuna? Tidus?"

Tidus looked up from his plate with a surprised look. I understood at once that he wasn't expecting the invitation to extend itself to him. He thought it was probably something between friends, and friends alone, and now he was being invited.

"I… I would like that, Nooj. Thank you." He said shyly. I smiled at his boyish reaction. He hadn't changed at all.

"Yuna?"

I looked at Nooj. "Sorry, Nooj, I got other plans. Got a History essay to deliver Monday morning. My last test wasn't very good, so I need to make up for it. Five thousand words about the construction of Besaid Temple…"

"Poor Yuna." Gippal mocked.

"Paine?" Nooj repeated.

"I think I'll pass, Nooj." She replied, unfolding her arms. Everyone kept looking at her, waiting for an explanation, but she didn't give one. I think that all of us thought she was skipping the movies part because of her previous exchange of words with Baralai, but none of us could be sure of that.

We finished our lunch and started to divide the bill, but Tidus stopped us, saying that he would pay everything. We all protested, but he was determined to do it and finally Paine said "If he wants to pay it, then let him or we're not leaving anytime soon…"

"She's right." Tidus supported "Besides, think of it as a way to thank you for the warm welcome you gave me. After all, I'm nothing but a stranger and you took me as a friend. That means a lot to me."

_I know it does. You lost every friend you had in Besaid… and your brother… and your girlfriend. Only Rikku remains. And Wakka and Lulu, but they have new responsibilities now… You sure need new friends. And you can't find any better than mine. And even though it hurts, I don't mind sharing them with you. Right now, you need them more than I do._ I regretted those thoughts the moment they entered my mind ― I shouldn't feel sorry for him, being sympathetic led to the development of feelings and I wasn't interesting in reviving my feelings for Tidus.

"I insist." He added, pulling out his wallet. The rest of us ended up agreeing and he paid everything and even gave a nice tip to the waiter ― after all he was the Zanarkand Abes star player now…

We were about to leave the restaurant and return to our respective vehicles, when Tidus hold my arm, making me stop and look at him. The rest of the gang was already near the cars, so they didn't see us.

"Thanks for letting me come." He said in a low tone "I just hope I didn't ruin your lunch…"

I don't know why I did it, but I found myself smiling at him ― the first smile I gave him. "You didn't ruin my lunch, Tidus. In fact, it was a really pleasant lunch. I liked it."

"I'm glad you did. I liked it too."

He was still holding my arm and once again it just felt so right that I didn't want him to let go, even if I knew it was the right thing to do. _What am I doing?_, I screamed inside my head. _Why do I let him get to me?_ I quickly took a step back, in the direction of the restaurant's door, and he released his hold on me. I sighed inwardly, both relieved and disappointed, and stepped out of the restaurant into the sunlit street. Tidus followed me and we headed for the cars, where the rest of the group was gathered (except for Rikku, who had gone to buy an ice-cream).

"I guess, since Paine and you don't come with us, I could take Cid's girl and Tidus in my car." Gippal said as soon as I got near him.

"Yeah, it's the best."

"But I don't let her eat anything inside the car!" he exclaimed next, looking at her approaching figure, a huge vanilla ice-cream on her tiny hands.

"That's between the two of you. I got nothing to do with it." I said, unlocking Cid's car.

I was about to climb behind the steering-wheel again when someone shouted from behind me "Tidus!"

I closed my eyes and silently prayed it wasn't another crazy fan of Tidus. But then I opened them and saw the recognition in Tidus' eyes. Even if it was a crazy fan, at least he knew her… or remembered her from his time in Besaid. Maybe an ex-girlfriend?

I wasn't sure if I wanted to turn around, but I did it anyway and my eyes laid on the most exotic girl I had ever seen in my life. She wasn't Besaidian, that was for sure. Her glistening skin was as dark as chocolate and her black hair fell smoothly down her back. Her dark eyes were brilliant and the perfectly applied make-up around them made them look deeper. Her clothes were almost non-existent; I used to tease Rikku because of her miniskirts, but this girl in front of me was ten times worse ― she wasn't wearing a skirt, she was wearing a large belt that covered the first five inches of her thigh… And that top couldn't possible be considered a top, could it? It barely even covered her breasts… Oh no, the worst of it all ― she was walking in a pair of killer stilettos that made her four inches taller, at least…

She walked over to us (the guys were completely drooling, especially Gippal; strangely enough, Tidus was only smiling condescendingly like he had seen that scene many times before) and threw herself in Tidus arms ― she was almost as tall as him.

"Tidus, where the hell have you been?" she asked in a dramatic tone "We've been looking for you all around… Auron was beginning to think that you had been kidnapped or something."

Auron? Well, that explained a lot. That girl was from Zanarkand and had come with Tidus to Besaid. _She must be really special, otherwise I don't think he would bring her to Besaid_, I thought. _Maybe she's his new girlfriend…_

"Where's Barthello?" was Tidus first question.

"Oh, he's somewhere back there." She waved dismissingly and hugged Tidus. "I missed you, baby."

Yeah, she was probably his girlfriend. And suddenly I felt that my day was ruined. _Damn! I was the one who broke up with him; I shouldn't be feeling this terrible just because he found someone to replace me. I'm sure she's not the first one after me… oh boy, how sure I am of that!_

"Yeah, well, I'm here, Dona." He replied, grabbing her arms so she couldn't hold him again "Oh, by the way, everyone, this is Dona, she's from Zanarkand. Dona, these are Gippal, Nooj, Paine, Baralai, and Rikku, and Yuna." He pointed his finger in my direction and somehow I knew that he had chosen me to be the last for some reason.

"Yuna, huh?" the brunette named Dona turned to me with a superior look in her eyes, looking me up and down, like she was checking me out "I've heard a lot about you."

I hated when people thought they were superior to me; I just couldn't stand it without replying in the same tone. So, I just forced a polite smile, looked straight in the face and told her, with my best Bevellian accent "Funny, I can't say the same. You are…?"

Tidus tried not to laugh but he couldn't. When Dona heard him she turned to him, a shocked expression plastered in her beautiful sculpted face. "Tidus! Are you gonna let her mock me?"

"She's not mocking you, Dona. Are you, Yuna?" he asked me, an amused smile enlightening his features.

"Of course not. I was just trying to…" I waved my arms, searching for the right word "…understand who this lovely girl is."

This time Tidus was able to prevent the laugh that was about to escape his lips. And before Miss I'm-from-Zanarkand-and-I'm-so-much-better-than-you-all, a.k.a. Dona, could say anything else, I called Paine and told her we were hitting the road. We said goodbye to the guys and Rikku (no one really cared about the brunette girl ― or should I say slut?) and got in the car, driving away from them and at the time, from all of my problems. Well, all of my problems, except for my History essay, that is.

* * *

A/N: Yup, this was chapter 11. At first I wasn'ttoo pleased with it, but then I think I managed to make it not too boring… This last part, especially. Oh, and by the way, just two more things. First, I'm not used to inches and miles- in my country we use kilometres and centimetres, so... I'm sorry if I'm messing it up. If there's anyone who can explain them to me, I would appreciate it. Second, I don't know if you think the same, but every time I try to imagine Bevellian accent, I think of British accent. What do you think? You know what to do… just review. ;)

Thank you's:

**Da KeR MySteRr:** Thanks. I know it's not funny to do our chores, so I hope that my story helped you to get through them without much boredom. Lol.

**Rachel XXX:** Everyone hopes that they'll get together soon, but… I don't know. She's pretty determined not to fall again, don't you think? Anyways, thanks.

**tidusXyuna637:** Don't cry, I've updated… :) And I hope you liked this chapter as much as you liked the last one. Thank you.

**LennesLostSoul:** Thanks, I'm so happy you think that way. And yes, my summer's being great, thanks again.

**kyritawuv:** Thank you so much! And you're not sounding weird – just a little bit, I guess… :) About Tidus and Yuna, well, I can say I have a lot in store for them before their fates will be determined. But hopefully you'll like it – and I hope I'm not torturing you too much… ;) Oh, and by the way, is this quickly enough for Suzie? Lol.

**Sum1special:** Thank you; it means a lot to me. Here's the update you've been expecting.

**grappelkat:** Oh, Tidus has a lot of things to tell Yuna, so I'm sorry, but you'll have to stick around if you want to see what it is… (Great way to tell you that I want you to keep reading my story, isn't it? ;) Just kiddin'.) Anyways, thank you.


	13. Chapter 12: Photographs and memories

A/N: Hey guys, here's chapter 12. Not much happens in this chapter, it is more like a transition chapter, but I hope you won't find it too boring. Enjoy it!

* * *

_**Chapter 12**_

_**Photographs and memories**_

Rain was steadily pouring on the outside. It had been like that for the last couple of days and there were no signs of the rain going to stop anytime soon. I looked through the window to the wet garden and to the grey sky ― it seemed like the clouds had come to stay.

"I hate rainy days…" I sighed, pulling my legs up and wrapping my knees with my arms, curling up in the couch.

"Yeah, me too…" Rikku agreed, holding the remote control and zapping through the TV channels.

It was a Tuesday afternoon and Rikku and I were both sitting on our living-room, lazily doing nothing. Uncle Cid was at work and Brother had gone to a friend's place. So, it was just the two of us. Or at least that was what I had thought…

The doorbell rang loudly and Rikku, who moments earlier had been bored to death, perked up immediately. "I'll go."

She got up and literally ran to the door. I heard her excited voice, but from my spot on the couch I couldn't see who it was at the door. I didn't have to wait long, though. Shortly after, a tall blonde entered the room following Rikku.

I frowned instantly. "Tidus."

"Hello, Yuna." he said, smiling a little.

It had been twelve days since Tidus had come back, but I still couldn't get used to his presence. When he had gone to Zanarkand, I had spent the first months seeing him everywhere in Besaid, feeling his presence all around me, hearing his voice in the distance… It was hard letting go, but time had passed and I finally had gotten used to live on my own, without Tidus in my life… And now that he was back, I just couldn't seem to come to terms with the fact that it was really happening ― every time I saw him it just felt like an illusion, a dream… It was so strange, because the next moment I knew it was real, that he was really there and then…

"I invited Tidus to come over… since the day was so rainy there was nothing else to do." Rikku explained, snapping me out of my deep thoughts.

Tidus was still staring at me. "I hope you don't mind, Yuna."

I shook my head and tried to smile "No, it's okay. Rikku really needs to keep her mind busy, otherwise she won't be leaving me alone."

"Hey, you meanie!" my cousin shouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Don't pout, Rikku; you know it's true." I told her, planting my bare feet on the carpet and standing up. "Anyways, I'm going to my room to give you guys some privacy…"

I bent down to grab the book on the couch but Tidus' hand was already holding my arm. I turned to face him, startled by his action.

"You don't need to leave." He said, looking deadly serious.

"I know." I tried to smile "It's just that I have things to do in my room, so…"

"Oh, Yunie, you don't need to make excuses." Rikku told me, patting my arm just above Tidus' hand "Tidus and I will go to my room. It' more comfy there, ya know? And I want to show him some stuff in the computer and all… So, no biggie ― go to your room if you want or just stay here; it's your call."

Well, Rikku was definitely not the queen of tact, and sometimes she could really embarrass someone with her very accurate comments. I felt my cheeks reddening and tried to act nonchalantly, thinking of a thousand ways to kill her later. Couldn't she be a little more subtle?

I looked up and saw Tidus staring down at me with those huge blue eyes of his. We hadn't looked each other in the eyes since that day in the restaurant, the day I had known about his 'friend' Dona.

"Oh, and by the way," she continued, not even realizing Tidus was still holding me and we were looking at each other deeply. "My room is totally messy, so I need to clean it up a bit before you enter there, Tidus. I know you know I'm messy and all, but I really don't want you to go and trip over one of my bras, okay? So I'll just go upstairs for a minute or two and Yuna can keep you company, isn't that right, cous?"

She had said all that in just one breath and she didn't wait for an answer; the moment I turned to reply she had already turned around and climbed the stairs that led to our rooms. She had just assumed I would tell her 'yes', like I always did. _Why do I always let her win?_, I asked myself, while I let myself fall back onto the couch. I hadn't realized that Tidus was still grabbing my arm, though; the minute he felt me falling he just held me tighter and pulled me to him effortlessly, putting his other arm around my waist.

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to sound casual. But I knew almost everything about him and I couldn't stop noticing the subtle change of tone, the small shift in his breathing. The proximity of our bodies, our breaths mingling… It was all too familiar.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I whispered, my eyes traveling from his eyes to his lips. His warm body was pressed against mine and our lips were just inches apart and if I just lifted my head a little I could kiss him so easily… What the hell was I thinking? Reluctantly, I took a step back and this time he let me go. I sat on the couch and Tidus immediately took the seat next to me.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were gonna fall." He explained, suddenly feeling nervous. I was feeling kind of nervous too. We weren't as close as before, but still our knees were almost touching and just that made me lose all my concentration. All I could think about was the chills that ran through my body when our bodies had touched.

"Yeah…" I forced myself to answer "I was… gonna fall… I lost my balance for a moment there. Thank you."

He smiled sincerely, that boyish grin I loved so much. "No problem. I'm just glad I was there."

None of us mentioned the fact that if I was in fact going to fall, what was not exactly going to happen, I would fall on the couch and I would not hurt myself. Apparently, it was easier if we just forgot about that simple detail.

I changed my position and pulled my legs up again, wrapping my arms around them. That way I felt more secure, like I was protected from Tidus' control ― poor Tidus, I don't really think he was trying to control me back then; I think he was just as nervous as I was, not knowing what to do or say or how to escape _my_ control over him…

A few instants had passed and we were still silent. It was becoming ridiculous; when was Rikku going to return? A minute or two in her dictionary meant at least half an hour. So that meant I was stuck with Tidus for thirty minutes and that sooner or later we would have to talk… about something… about anything… Or maybe I could just remain really quiet and he would just forget about me ― it couldn't be that hard, could it?

His voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "So, how's college going?"

I smiled inwardly. It was a safe question, the kind of thing you ask those people you don't know very well just because it doesn't imply a very long answer ― if someone's good at school, they'll just say that everything's okay; if someone sucks, they'll just don't want to be spreading it around and they'll just say that it's going as usually. Anyway it was a safe question with a safe answer. Except if I decided to reply the first thing that crossed my mind: _It feels kinda empty without you._

But instead of that I just said "It's going well, I think. It's not very different from high school. Except that now I get to choose the classes I wanna take."

"Yeah, I thought it would be something like that." he looked down, as if embarrassed "I'd want to have gone to college, but when I went to Zanarkand I didn't have much time, so I quit. You cannot train and study at the same time, sooner or later you'll have to choose which one you want. You can see what my choice was…"

I narrowed my eyes, curiosity building up inside of me. Even though I shouldn't be interested in what Tidus had to say, the fact is that I was _very_ interested ― I wanted to understand his life in Zanarkand.

"Have you ever felt sorry for dropping out?" I asked in a low tone. This was not a safe question.

He looked at me, his eyes bright and sad. Funny, before Tidus had left for Zanarkand it was really rare seeing him sad or depressed ― he was always the happiest, the funniest, the most optimistic… But now that he had returned I had noticed a shadow of melancholy covering his beautiful blue eyes… constantly. And even though he always tried to hide it from everyone behind a smirk or even a smile, he couldn't hide it from me. Like he had said to me a few days before, I could not lie to him, but he could not lie to me either. We were just bound to see the truth in the eyes of the other.

"I see it in your eyes…" I told him. Then, without even thinking, I leaned in and rested my hand against his face. He closed his eyes like he was enjoying my touch. "…some kind of heartache."

He sighed and put his hand over mine. Instead of being one of those awkward moments that should never have happened, it just felt comfortable and right, like that was the way it was meant to be. It just felt so good that none of us wanted to move or speak, too afraid that we would break the magic of the moment. Finally, Tidus opened his eyes and stared at me. "Yuna, I―"

"Okay, guys, I'm back!"

I rolled my eyes. Why had Rikku always to come in and interrupt us in the worst moments!

Tidus dropped my hand immediately and turned to face her. "Hey, Rikku, we were starting to wonder if you had been eaten by the vacuum cleaner or something like that…" he joked. There it was again ― the happy face that kept all his problems hidden inside.

"No!" Rikku laughed, coming to seat on the loveseat and stretching her legs over its arm. "It's just that Gippal called me. He said everything's ready for our trip to Luca in two weekends."

"Trip to Luca?" I repeated, not knowing what she was talking about.

"Yeah, isn't it great?" She squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. "Gippal and I are planning everything out ― of course I had to supervise his part of the work, 'cause I don't trust that idiot, but it's okay. We booked the hotel rooms, two for the guys and two for the girls ― Nooj is probably taking LeBlanc with him ―, for three days. We leave Besaid Friday morning and we spend the whole weekend in Luca, only coming back Monday afternoon. Isn't it great?" she asked again.

Tidus and I were both mesmerized. The first thing that came from my mouth was "When were you planning on tell _us_ that you had plans for _our_ weekend?"

"Eh… uh… that…" Rikku looked up "Maybe this weekend when we'd go to Nooj's get-together. Gippal would be there too and we'd both tell you. Yeah, that's it."

"Sure…" I said, not convinced. "Does Paine know 'bout this 'trip to Luca' thing?"

"Not yet…"

"I see. Who else knows about it?"

"Well. First there's me and Gippal and then… Gippal told Baralai and Nooj yesterday… Nooj was gonna talk to LeBlanc today…"

"You mean almost everybody knew about it except for me and Paine?"

"Tidus didn't know!" she defended herself.

"Wait, I'm invited too?" Tidus asked all of a sudden.

"'Course you are, silly." Rikku said, looking at him "D'you think I'd let my best friend behind? No, sirrie!"

He laughed. "Of course I didn't think that, Riks. I'm just honored by the invitation. A weekend in Luca… I don't even need to think about it twice ― you can tell Gippal that I'm in!"

I frowned. "Doesn't that mean that your _friend_ Dona is going to want to go too?" Damn, why couldn't I control the rising jealousy? I shouldn't even be jealous in the first place! Besides, Tidus had told Rikku, who in turn had told me, that Dona was not his girlfriend ― _Yeah, right, she's jut the girl he's screwing…_ ―; she was simply Auron's niece and a friend of his. According to him, she had been very supportive during his time in Zanarkand ― _Yeah, right, I can only imagine how much supportive she can be…_ ― and they had become friends, nothing more. Like I believed that…

"Dona?" Tidus looked at me "I hadn't thought about that. You're probably right; she'll wanna go too… I think she's never been to Luca."

Did he really believe that would be the reason why she wanted to go? Or was he just pretending that that was the reason why?

"Well…" Rikku started, fidgeting with her fingers "Everything's already set… Unless we ask to put another bed in one of our bedrooms…" she continued, looking at us.

_Shut up, Rikku, shut up!_, I screamed inside my head. For those last twelve days I had been able to avoid Dona at all costs ― if I saw her on the street, I just entered the nearest café or drove by, pretending I hadn't noticed her; if we were all together and she made an appearance, I was leaving the next minute, pretending I'd received a urgent phone call or suddenly remembering a forgotten essay, test or visit I had to do… I really didn't mind doing all that to avoid her; just the thought of spending one single minute in her company was ten times worse than making up some lame excuses once in a while.

When it came to Tidus, though, things were completely different. I still couldn't name my feelings for him at this time, but I didn't loath him, like I did to Dona. With him, everything was more complex… Even though I couldn't forget what I had been through because of him, all the pain he had caused me, I couldn't also erase all the good things that had happened between us and somehow those things seemed to find their way into my heart and soften it a little bit, every time I was with Tidus. It was just like what had happened a few instants before, when I had talked to him like I had done so many times before, like someone who knew him better than he knew himself… I still felt a little awkward in his presence, but I think that was normal, after all we had been through a lot and now things were very different; even so, I somehow managed to enjoy his company when he was around. And he was around quite often lately, since Rikku was always inviting him to come over our house or to join our group every time we went out together. The rest of my friends had also welcomed Tidus with arms wide open ― even Paine seemed to like him, although she never said a word about it ― and I knew deep inside that if Tidus had stayed in Besaid instead of going to Zanarkand, we would've been very happy and he would've fitted perfectly in our gang's spirit.

"Don't worry about it." Tidus said "I'll talk to her later and then I'll tell you somethin'. Is that okay?"

The question was directed to Rikku, but still I heard myself saying a very clear and firm "No!"

They both turned their gazes towards me, surprise written all over their faces.

"I'm sorry…" I apologized quickly, realizing what I had just done. Averting Dona in the city was one thing, no one could really say anything about it, but saying loud and clear that I didn't want her going with us for the weekend was a completely different thing and Tidus would probably want to know why and I would be unable to answer him because not even I knew the answer to his next question. "It's just that… uh… I'm not sure if I can go… I mean… with school and all…"

"C'mon, Yunie!" Rikku almost pleaded, starting to use her 'puppy eyes' tactic. "You can't miss it ― this is for all of us, for our group of friends…"

_Then why does that stupid little bitch have to go too?_, I wanted to ask her, but I knew I would just sound silly and I was already silly enough, I didn't need to show it too. Someone would tell me later on that I could never be silly, but back then all I could think was that only a silly and foolish girl got stuck in my position, standing between my friends and the person I really didn't want to see, Dona…

"Okay, I'll go…" I ended up agreeing, knowing that otherwise I would make my cousin feel sad on her trip to Luca ― and maybe even the rest of the group…

"YAY! That's the spirit, girl!" Rikku jumped out of the loveseat and crashed on the couch over me and Tidus, holding both of us and squealing excitedly about how much fun we'd have, and so on and on and on…

-----XX-----

About half an hour later Rikku and Tidus went to her room ― she had said something about showing him some digital photos she had taken with her dad's camera ― and left me alone with my reading. I had read almost forty pages when the doorbell rang again, this time in the backdoor. I stood up and walked into the kitchen, opening the door without even checking who it was first. At that time, it could only be 1)Brother, who had forgotten his key at home, or 2) Paine, who had come to pay me a visit for some reason. And I was totally right ― it was Paine and she had come for a reason.

"I'm sorry to be disturbing you, Yuna, but I really needed to ask you a favour." She said, entering the kitchen while I closed the door.

"Sure, Paine, no problem. What do you need?" I followed her to the living room.

"You had White Magic in school last year, right?" she asked, turning to me.

"Yeah, I did. Level one. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm taking that class and I'm having certain… issues with it. Let's just say that your advices could come in hand right now."

I grinned. "Okay, girl, I got it. I never pictured you as a white mage, but okay… Let's go to my room and maybe I'll find a book or two to help you out."

We went upstairs and into my room. I closed the door behind us and headed to my desk, where I usually kept my school books. Paine was just standing there, with her arms crossed, looking at my back while I searched the drawers. "Do you need any help?"

"Yeah, you can look for a book labeled 'White Magic for Beginners' in that trunk over there. I usually keep there the things I don't use anymore…" I said without turning.

"If you don't use them, why do you keep them?" she asked, moving towards the trunk.

I laughed and looked at her. "I don't know… I think I can't let them go because they mean something important to me. I don't know." I repeated.

We remained silent for a few instants, searching for the book. Finally, I found it between two other books of magic (White Magic ― Level 2 and Black Magic for Beginners). Grabbing it, I turned to Paine and saw her standing straight, holding something in her hands and looking at it attentively. I was facing her back but I instantly knew what she was staring at. I approached her silently and said quietly "Found it."

She turned around quickly and looked me in the eye, her expression impossible to read. I gently took the photograph from her hands and looked at it.

"I'm sorry", she mumbled as if she had done something wrong.

"It's okay." I said, not looking at her. My eyes could not turn away from the photo in my hands.

It was a photo from a time when everything was perfect. The couple in it looked like they were meant to be. She was sitting on his lap and had her arms around his neck, while one of his arms encircled her waist and the other hand rested lazily on her thigh. They were not looking at the camera but at each other, with so much longing and caring that even through the photo one could see that their love was very deep and intense.

It was a photo of Tidus and me, taken three years ago.

"I should've not been messing around with your stuff." I heard Paine saying, but I didn't need her to apologize. After all, if I had wanted that photo to be seen by no one I would have hidden it somewhere only I would know about.

"It's okay," I repeated, finally looking at her "It's just a photo."

"It's more than that, right?"

I looked away. How could I tell her what that photo meant to me and how it reminded me of a time when I had loved Tidus more than life itself? How could I explain the pain I had felt when I had lost him and every dream of mine had been shattered like a glass? How could I say that that photo was a way of preserving the past that I missed so much? I didn't think I could. Not to Paine ― she wasn't the most sensitive person and she would probably not understand. So I simply replied "It's a memory of love. But like Rikku once told me, memories are nice, but that's all they are. They'll never be real again…"

She stared at me as if she was going to say something but she changed her mind and shrugged it off. She then picked one other photo in which Tidus was swirling Rikku in the air and she had this huge smile on her lips. Paine stared at it for a few moments and then asked me "Rikku said that?"

"Yeah, she's a bit airhead most of the times, but she has some wise ideas in that little head of hers…" I giggled.

"I'm afraid I can't say the same when she and Gippal get together. Have you heard about their last little scheme?" Paine asked, sitting in one of the armchairs.

I sat in front of her. "You mean the trip to Luca? Yeah, she told me today. You going?"

"I'm still not sure. You?"

"I told her I'd probably go. How did you find out, anyways?"

"Baralai told me." she replied simply.

"Baralai, huh?" I asked in a casual tone.

"Yeah, I went to his place to talk to Nooj, but he wasn't around. Baralai was there and we started talking and so… he ended up telling me." She explained. I frowned a little ― Paine rarely gave explanations to anyone.

"Paine…" I started, carefully choosing my words "I've been wanting to ask you something for a while now, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

She frowned too. I bet she knew what was about to come. "What?"

"When Baralai first arrived at Besaid, we reacted in a way that made me wonder…" I paused "Why did you react that way? Now you two seem okay, even though there is some tension between the two at times." I added, playing with the photograph that I was still holding.

Paine remained silent and for an instant I thought she was not going to respond, but then she sighed and said "Yes, when Baralai arrived I was pretty rude with him." She smirked "But he caught me off guard; I wasn't expecting to see him here after so long and I didn't know if I wanted him here in the first place."

"And do you? Want him here?" I knew I was pushing my luck, but I didn't lose anything in trying.

She eyed me closely. "I still don't know. His presence does not bother me, and I even like to talk to him sometimes… as long as we don't talk about certain things."

"I see; certain things… of your past?"

She nodded. "But you're asking me why I reacted the way I did when Baralai arrived… I can ask you the same about Tidus."

I blinked twice at her subtle way of changing the subject. "I… uh…"

Paine smirked "I'm just kidding, Yuna. You don't need to answer that."

"But it's only fair; after all you answered my questions."

She laughed. "The difference is that I already know the answer to my question, Yuna. Between Rikku, Lulu and Wakka, I think I already know enough of your story with Tidus."

I lowered my head. "Yeah, well, it's a very long story…"

"I'm not saying I know it all. In fact, I'm sure there are a lot of things that no one knows, like the reason you broke up with him, for instance."

"Right…" I managed to say "Well, that's easy ― the distance was… I couldn't take the distance. The world was between us and…" I paused, remembering the first few months after Tidus had gone to Zanarkand. Everything seemed so different in Besaid, so empty. I just couldn't get over him leaving and I couldn't stop asking myself where he was, what was he doing, who was he with… And then, that doomed day had come and I suddenly realized I couldn't go on like that, no matter how much it hurt me. If I hadn't seen that damned magazine maybe things would've been different but…

"Believe me when I say that I understand you, Yuna." Paine said in a low tone "Love isn't enough in some cases…"

I smiled. "Unfortunately it's true. No matter how much we want it to work out… Maybe it's fate."

"Maybe it is."

I had never had a conversation about feelings or fate or love with Paine before and I was truly enjoying it. Apparently, she wasn't as insensitive as she wanted to look like. But I already knew that… Only sometimes I wasn't quite sure of it.

"Anyways," she continued "You've been great to him. I salute your strength in holding on so well." she stretched out her hand and took the photo in mine. She took another look at it and then faced me again "But you still haven't forgotten him, right?"

"Yes, I have." I replied, maybe too quickly "It's been two years, I'd be a fool if I was still attached to him in any way…"

"Yuna," Paine said in a motherly tone, the same tone I had heard Lulu use countless times "If you still have photographs of him, it's because you still haven't forgotten him."

I sighed. Maybe she was right. But I just wasn't ready to admit it… at least not yet.

Her cell phone began to ring at that moment, saving me from answering her. She looked at the display and her ruby eyes widened "It's Wakka!"

"Pick it up then…"

"Wakka?" she asked, putting the phone against her ear. "What?... No, I'm at Yuna's… I'm going right away… Calm down, Wakka!… I'm going, I told you… Stay put, you silly man!"

She closed her phone and turned to me, more agitated than ever.

"What?" I urged her, anxiety rising inside of me.

"Lulu's waters broke… She's having the baby… Now!"

* * *

A/N: Okay, first of all I want to say that I solved the 'inches/centimetres' issue ― an inch is equal to 2.54 centimetres.

Second of all, I want to say that I'm leaving on vacation tonight, so I won't be posting anything in the next four weeks, which leads me to another thing ― I ended this chapter with a cliff hanger and, because I don't want to leave you without knowing what's going to happen next, I just want to say that nothing bad is going to happen to Lulu and her baby. The child will be born healthy and strong and his mother, in spite of being tired from the labour, will be a very proud mum. So, don't sweat about it.

Third, I want to thank to:

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** I completely understand you when you say you're tired. Last night I stayed up writing till three a.m. when I needed to be up at seven this morning, but I wanted to update and today was my last chance… Anyways, I'm glad you liked the chapter; I hope you like this one too. And thanks again for the e-mail about Harry Potter.

**Rachel XXX:** Yeah, when everything seemed to be working out for the best, something had to ruin it all and it came in the form of Dona. But still, I think Yuna and Tidus _are_ getting along, don't you? ;)

**seelenspiel:** Thanks, I hope you enjoy this one too.

**kyritawuv:** Well, thank you so much for the support, it means a lot to me. And thanks for understanding that Yuna and Tidus need time to adapt themselves to the new situation they're going through. If I put them back together now it would just be strange… at least I think so. Anyways, thanks again.

**Duderman:** Nope, I wasn't on vacation. But I hope you still love me when I tell you that I'm going on vacation for four weeks now… And please, don't give up on me ― I promise to have fresh news when I return. In the meanwhile, and because I read in your profile that you had never read a story about Rikku/Gippal, why don't you try Black Eyed Mistress' fanfics (they're all about Gippal and Rikku and in my humble opinion they're awesome). It's just a thought… ;) Anyways, thank you.

**tidusXyuna637:** Yeah, the end was funny ― Yuna could not simply let Dona walk away thinking she was all that, could she? I'm glad you loved it, I hope you think the same about this one.

**Tidus + Yuna flamboyent:** I'm really sorry, but I can't answer you that question without giving the plot away. All I can say is that I have some things planned for them that you'll like… But being together as a couple isn't in my plans… yet. Sorry, but I'll just have to ask you to stick around and see what happens. Thanks for reviewing anyway.

**ANIMEGURL04:** Well, according to Tidus himself, he isn't 'with the slut girl' (I liked this nickname, by the way. Mind if I used it?); but I bet Dona, a.k.a. the slut girl, would love if that ever happened. As for Yuna, I don't think she would be very pleased, don't you agree?

Thank you all and I hoped you enjoyed the chapter because I will only update againin the end of August/beginning of September. See you then and don't forget to review ― even if I won't read your reviews now, I will love to read them when I return…

Peace.


	14. Chapter 13: Nooj's get together

A/N: Hi everyone, I'm back! Thanks to all of you for waiting so patiently for my return and I'm really sorry it took me so long, but I was away on vacation and where I was there was no Internet… and no Fan Fiction site. Anyways, I hope you didn't grow tired of me. Here's chapter 13.

* * *

_**Chapter 13**_

_**Nooj's get-together**_

The few moments that followed Wakka's phone call remain clouded in my mind; I don't know if it was the stress, the excitement, the nervousness or maybe the three put together, but every time I try to replay those moments in my head they're like covered by a vein. I remember Paine telling me that she needed to take her sister to the hospital because Wakka was too nervous to do it and we both ran outside the house and into Paine's front porch, where Lulu was seated on a chair, patiently waiting for someone to arrive and take her.

"So," she smiled tiredly and put a hand on her stomach, "who's taking me after all? Wakka wanted to do it but in his state he would kill us all."

"I'll do it." Paine responded in a collected voice.

Lulu smiled at her sister and got up, heading to the car. Paine and I tried to help her, but she refused gently, telling Paine to start the car and then turning to me "Can you do me a favour, Yuna?"

"Sure," I said, still holding her arm.

"I've packed some things for me and the baby, while we're still in the hospital, but I'm sure Wakka will forget about them and Paine's too busy to be asked." She paused and closed her eyes, inhaling sharply. I could feel her arm tensing beneath my grip.

"What's wrong, Lu? What happened?"

She exhaled slowly and then opened her ruby eyes. "It was just a contraction. I'm fine." She turned her gaze to me again and continued "Could you get my stuff and then take it to the hospital? I'm going to need it."

I nodded seriously. I was a little afraid ― after all, Lulu was my first friend to give birth and I was worried about her ― but I was sure she was going to be okay; she was strong and wise…

She had another contraction, snapping me out of my thoughts. I helped her getting inside the car and then leaned against the door, poking my head through the open window and winking at Lulu "I'll see you soon, okay, Lu?"

She returned the smile. "Sure, Yuna."

I stepped back and Paine drove away. It was only when I heard a male voice yelling that I realised that Wakka hadn't gone with them. I turned around to see his huge figure running in my direction, waving his arms in the air.

"Come back! Come back! I have to go with my wife, ya!" He stopped when he reached me and took a hand to his chest, trying to recover his breath.

"Take it easy, Wakka." I told him reassuringly "I'm going to the hospital too. I'll take you to Lulu before the baby's born, you'll see."

"You'd do that, Yuna?" He looked so sad and disappointed that I could do nothing but smile sympathetically and nod.

"But first I gotta do two things, 'kay? Wait for me by my car, I'll be there in one minute." Those last words were screamed over my shoulder for I was already dashing towards my house, entering it and climbing the stairs until I reached my bedroom. I grabbed my purse and shoved the wallet, the cell phone and the keys inside it, running out of the room and into the hallway where I bumped against Rikku.

"Ouch!" She complained, taking her hand to her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Rikku." I held her arm to steady her "I'm in a bit of a rush right now. Lulu's gone to the hospital to have the baby, and I'm going to meet her there with Wakka."

My cousin's eyes widened and then, when she understood my message, she said in a whining voice "I wanna go too."

"Rikku…" I began.

"Please, Yunie, please." She continued, tugging at my shirt like a child who wanted a candy.

I couldn't waste my time trying to make her understand the reasons why she didn't need to go, so I just told her to keep her quiet "Okay, if you insist. But this is not gonna be a picnic, Rikku, so I want you to behave yourself, okay?"

"Of course, Yuna, I promise." she said with a grave expression.

I managed to smirk at her. "Then go to the car, I'll be there in no time flat." And with that I took off again, returning to Lulu's house and entering through the kitchen door (fortunately, Lulu rarely locked that door ― and even if she did, she had given me a key to enter anytime I wanted). I went upstairs and into the bedroom Lulu and Wakka shared. I had been there thousands of times before Lulu had got married and a few more after Wakka had moved in. Small differences marked those two periods of my friend's life ― when she was still a single woman, Lulu always kept her room really neat and tidy, painted in dark colours and full of study books of black magic and some stuff she needed to do the spells. When she and Wakka had decided to marry, she redecorated the room and moved her magical things into a study room, where she worked now, and changed the colour of the room to a soft orange (she said it didn't make any difference to her and that it even reminded her of Wakka's hair…). The room was still clean, but if someone looked around, they could find a blitzball thrown into a corner, a pair of socks under the drawer or even some clothes placed on a chair; being pregnant didn't give Lulu the kind of mobility to do the chores and Wakka wasn't the most organized person in the world.

I looked around and saw the suitcase Lulu had told me about almost immediately for it was in front of the wardrobe. She had probably put it there so it would not be forgotten when the time came, but that had been precisely what had happened ― with Wakka's anxiety and Paine's fast actions, no one had even thought about the suitcase twice (I would say not even once); only the pregnant woman herself…

I snatched the bag and ran outside through the front door, locking it behind me and heading in my car's direction. Rikku and Wakka were already there… and Tidus was with them. Damn it! I had completely forgotten all about him being in the house with Rikku. She had probably told him what was happening and invited him to come along. And she was right in a way ― Tidus was Wakka's best friend and he was also very close to Lulu and if we were going to the hospital he had every right to tag along. So I just kept quiet while I approached the car and threw the bag into the backseat.

"So, let's go, people." I said, climbing to the driver's seat and waiting for them to take their own seats. Wakka sat beside me, biting his nails; Rikku was behind Wakka and Tidus was once again behind me. This time though I didn't pay him much attention for my thoughts were on Lulu and the yet unborn baby. Wakka was certainly thinking about the same because I had never seen him so nervous and so tense; the man didn't speak a single word, which was very unlike him, and couldn't stop biting his nails. On the other hand, Rikku couldn't remain still for a moment and she wouldn't shut up, but Tidus asked her to and she obliged, if only for a couple of minutes. In the meanwhile, Tidus was trying to calm Wakka down, telling his friend that everything was going to be alright and that soon enough the red-haired would be holding a beautiful baby in his strong arms.

The ride to the hospital had never seemed so long to me (and I had done it a lot of times lately because of Shuyin and Jecht) and when we finally arrived Wakka sprinted inside the building, asking the nurses where his wife was. I, in contrast, went directly to the receptionist, telling her who I was looking for and why I was looking for her. She asked me if I was a relative, and I told her I was with Wakka, the husband. Things got easier from that point on. She called a nurse who took Wakka and the suitcase into the room where Lulu had been placed while she awaited the baby's arrival and a few moments later Paine came to meet us because only one relative was allowed in the room at a time.

"How's she doing?" I asked her the moment I saw her coming out of the double doors that kept that area separated from the rest of the hospital.

She took a seat. "Lulu's strong, she'll be okay. But I'll tell you one thing, I wouldn't want to be in her place."

"Yeah," Rikku agreed, adding in a weak voice "If having kids means a lot of pain I don't think I want them…"

I laughed. "You say that now, Riks, 'cause you're young and you're scared 'cause of Lulu, but one day later you'll want kids. You're crazy 'bout them."

"I don't know, Yuna. Would you want kids if you knew you'd suffer a lot to have them?" she asked me, her huge green eyes staring at me.

"Absolutely." I answered firmly "I've always wanted at least two kids, but I wouldn't mind having three…"

"You sure look like a mother talking…" Paine said with a small smirk.

I smiled. "I know, but I can't help it."

Sometime later I got up. "It's gonna be a long wait. I think I'm gonna get some fresh air. If you need me I'll be right outside the main doors, okay?"

Rikku had fallen asleep curled up on a chair and Tidus had disappeared through the doors that led to his father's room (I believed that maybe all that talk about babies and mothers had brought him too many memories ― memories of us, of his childhood, of his deceased mother…) and so Paine was the only one to nod and watch me leave the waiting room, heading to the main doors. But I was stopped before I could go out because the rain that had momentarily stopped had started to fall again and so I had to remain on the inside. The doors were opened and people were constantly going in and out, the ambulances coming and going, the moans from the injured a constant noise in the back of my head. I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, repressing a chill. With the rush I hadn't brought any jacket or coat and that had been silly of me because now I was cold and had nothing to warm me up.

I'm not sure how long I remained there, leaned against the doorframe, watching the grey sky while people moved around me. I don't even remember what I was thinking while I was there, waiting for Lulu to have the baby, waiting for the news, waiting for something…

Suddenly I felt two hands on my shoulders and I turned around immediately, almost hitting whoever it was that had put the jacket over my shoulders. But when I saw who it was I froze, my jaw dropped to the floor and I forgot all the words I've ever known. It was Tidus. And it was Tidus' jacket.

"You were shivering." He told me, holding his hands up in a defence gesture. Then he let them fall down by his sides and averted my eyes, turning his head to the sky on the outside "I know how you hate the rain…"

I didn't know what to say, so I changed the subject "How's Lulu doing?"

"She's still waiting… The nurse talked a lot, but all I understood was that she's still waiting."

"Well, these things take time. I'm sure the baby will be out by nightfall."

"Yeah…" he trailed off and I knew instantly that he wanted to say something else. That look in his eyes was unmistakable. I was right. After a short silence he said "You know what you said back there, Yuna… about having babies…"

I stopped him before he could go any further. "Are you sure you wanna talk about this right now, Tidus?"

I was afraid of what he might say. He turned his head to meet my eyes and the intensity I saw in his made me hold my breath. Oh Yevon, what could he possibly be thinking? Two years ago I would have encouraged him to tell me all his problems, so I could share his burdens and ease his pain, but now it was my pain I wanted to ease and I could not do it with him talking about our past and our past dreams…

After what seemed an eternity, Tidus finally spoke, averting my eyes again "You're right. This isn't the time or place."

We remained silent for a moment or two before I suggested "I think that maybe we should check what's going on… Maybe there's some news."

He nodded and we started walking towards the waiting room. He opened the door for me and before I entered he touched my arm gently, calling my attention and saying in a low voice "I think you should call Shuyin and tell him Wakka's about to be a father. I'm sure he'd like to know that."

I looked up and was about to ask him why he didn't do it himself when I remembered their last meeting. Yet I was glad to know that Tidus was worried about his brother. It made me believe that reconciliation was possible between the two of them. So I just told him obediently, while entering the waiting room "Sure, Tidus, I'll do it right away."

-----XX-----

It had been more than five hours since we had arrived at the hospital when we finally had some news about Lulu's condition. Even though Paine had asked several times how her sister was doing, the doctors had only given her vague answers, telling her that the baby hadn't been born yet and that Lulu was being an excellent patient. At last, Wakka came out of the double doors, grinning ear to ear and walking proudly towards us.

Paine got up immediately. "What's going on?" Instead of answering, Wakka threw his arms around her, pulling her into a huge, breath-taking bear hug. "Wakka!" she reprimanded, stepping back and away from him.

He kept grinning like an idiot. "I have a son, ya! I have a son!"

I sighed and grinned too, congratulating him. Rikku screamed happily and jumped on Wakka, trying to hug him. Tidus' face lit up with joy and pride in his friend and he slapped him in the back, telling him how lucky he was. As for Paine… She was livid and yet a beautiful and true smile lightened her expression, making her eyes sparkle in bright red. She was truly happy. I nudged her gently and when she looked at me I told her "Go meet your sister, Paine. Wakka's gonna stay here for a while. Go."

She nodded, the smile never leaving her face and she went through the doors, heading to Lulu's room. Wakka continued to talk about his newborn son, looking like the happiest man to ever walk on Spira. I felt so glad for him.

My phone began to ring and I picked it up. It was Shuyin. I had called him a few hours earlier, following Tidus' advice and telling Shuyin what was going on with Lulu. He had been pleased to hear the news and had even said that he would come to the hospital, but when I told him his brother was there he changed his mind. It had been like that since Tidus had returned ― every time Tidus was present, Shuyin wouldn't show his face… And even though we had talked a lot about that (I had been with him several times during the last few days), I hadn't been able to make him change his mind about his reactions towards his brother. Anyways, Shuyin had asked me to keep him informed, but he was the one who was calling me every hour or so. I believed he wanted to be there with the rest of us, but he knew he wasn't needed and besides Tidus was there and… well, he could always visit Lulu and Wakka any other day, after all he had been to their house just last week, catching up all the times he'd missed out over those two long years and re-establishing their former friendship.

"Shu, I've got great news!" I exclaimed, grabbing the phone with both hands "Lulu gave birth to a little boy! Wakka's so happy about it!"

I heard him laugh on the other side "I bet, Yuna! I'm happy for him too! Could you put him on the phone, please?"

"Sure." I turned to Wakka "Wakka, it's for you; it's Shuyin."

Wakka's smile widened, if that was possible, and he took the phone, putting it on his ear and stepping aside to talk more privatively.

"Do you think we can see the baby?"

I turned to Rikku, watching her excited expression. "I'm not sure; after all, the boy's just born. Maybe the doctors will want to wait before they expose the baby to our presence or so…"

"Yeah, Yuna's right." Tidus added "Let's wait until they say we can walk in, okay?"

Rikku sighed and agreed, sitting back on a chair. Another hour passed until the doctors told us we could go in and see Lulu and her baby. But we could only go one at a time, plus the relative. Paine had come out to exchange places with Wakka, who had entered with Rikku ― she had to be the first one to walk in, otherwise she wouldn't just shut up and she wouldn't give anyone a break. While she was in there, Tidus and I asked Paine a lot of questions about the baby and, to my surprise (I don't know if Tidus noticed, but then again he didn't know Paine all that well…), Paine answered them all with ease and without any of her sarcastic remarks. She was really affected by this. I remember thinking that she really needed to take in some emotion at times, to make her more… human, I guess.

Tidus went in next. I had gently given him my turn, because I knew how anxious he was ― I could tell from the way he was always running his hands through his blonde hair or fidgeting with his fingers.

Before Tidus came out, Gippal, Baralai and Nooj showed up. Rikku had secretly called them and told them what was happening and so they had come as soon as they could. They had come to support their friend Paine and also Lulu, who they were really fond of.

"Congrats, Paine," Gippal said, hugging Paine, "now you're an aunt!"

"How does it feel?" Nooj asked, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm really happy for you, Paine." Baralai told her, without touching her but looking at her with a very sweet look in his eyes.

She returned the look and this time she was unable to say anything mean or cold to him. She only managed to smile and say softly "Thanks."

"Hey, d'you think we could see the boy?" Gippal asked suddenly, breaking the moment. He still had his arm around Paine's waist, but she didn't seem to notice.

She sighed. "Yeah, we can, but it's only one person at a time and it's taking so damn long till I see my nephew again…"

Nooj chuckled. "Well, you're definitely getting into the spirit of being an auntie, aren't ya?"

She punched his elbow, but there was a smile playing on her lips when she did it. "Stop that, Nooj!"

I smiled and my eyes travelled from them to Rikku and Gippal. He had left Paine with Nooj and had approached my cousin from behind, startling her and making her almost jump. She had slapped his arm, but that didn't seem to bother him, for he remained close to her, asking her something I couldn't hear and trying to calm her down when she started to smack him again. I giggled at them and turned to look at Baralai, who was standing in silence, watching Paine attentively with sad eyes. I wondered if he had ever seen her so cheerful before…

I was about to go talk to him when Tidus appeared, his expression one of pure joy. I couldn't help but smile too when I saw his eyes without that permanently hidden sorrow in them. He looked directly at me when he said "He's beautiful!" and I silently thanked him with a nod.

It was my turn now. I made my way through the hospital hallways and softly knocked at the door. Wakka's voice told me to come in and so I did it. As soon as Lulu saw me her smile widened to match my own and she gestured for me to approach.

"Lulu, he's so sweet!" I told her, taking a peek inside the blanket she was holding close to her chest. The baby was asleep, but it didn't make any difference, he was sweet all the same. And he was exactly like his father…

"No, he's not!" Wakka countered, when I told him that "Look at his chin ― it's exactly like his mother's."

I laughed and said "Of course, his chin is like his mother's, but his hair, his forehead, his nose are exactly like yours. Admit it, Wakka, the baby wouldn't look more like you if you put him in a blitz uniform with a blitzball under his arm…"

Wakka pondered that for a few seconds and then he reluctantly agreed with me, still doubting a little.

Lulu laughed at his expression and said "Wakka, dear, could you please go and call Paine? I'm sure she's dying to see her nephew again. It won't take long, I promise." She added, when she saw her husband making a face.

He ended up nodding and leaving the room, not without giving me a hug first and telling me to take care of his wife and his baby. I said I would and when I heard him leaving I took a seat on the bed, next to Lulu and the baby.

"He really is the sweetest thing." I repeated, holding out my index finger to caress the baby's clutched little hand.

"Thanks." She said, nestling the baby closer to her. She then chuckled and looked at me "Can you believe I'm on cloud nine right now? I feel happier than ever before. And it's all because of this little boy here…"

"You know your problems have only begun, right?" I teased, elbowing her gently.

"I know. But I think it's worth it."

"I think so too…"

Lulu and I remained in silence until Paine joined us. We hadn't talked much, but there was no need to ― our silence had been more comfortable than many conversations. I think that's just the way it is: when two people are friends, there's no need for words to express the feelings inside.

-----XX-----

Lulu came home two days later, the baby cradled in her arms. Wakka was being extra-careful with his little boy and also with his beloved wife, even though she had told him hundreds of times that she wasn't sick. Paine had been home for those two days, because of school and all, but Wakka had stayed in the hospital with Lulu at all times, except when he needed to go to work, coaching the kids in the Besaid Blitzball Stadium. Now the whole family was returning home.

That night, Uncle Cid, Rikku and I paid a visit to them ― Brother hadn't shown up for dinner and nobody knew where the hell he was. So it was just the three of us when Wakka opened the door and let us in. I put the box with the strawberry cake I had made earlier that day on the kitchen counter and then returned to the living room, where Lulu was relaxing and welcoming Uncle Cid. Rikku looked like a child, trying to catch the baby's attention and pouting when he didn't even bother turning around in his crib to face her. Paine and I sat together on the sofa and we were talking about school and the test we were going to have the next day. Suddenly, Wakka sat beside his wife and called our attention, making us turn to him.

"I just wanted to say…" he started, pausing dramatically to keep us focused on him "That I have already chosen a name to my baby boy."

Lulu looked at him with an amused expression. "Is that so?"

"Yes, it is so." Wakka replied solemnly, not noticing the irony in Lulu's voice. "His name is going to be…"

"Lemme guess! Lemme guess!" Rikku was jumping up and down "His name's going to be Wakka Jr."

"No!" Wakka retorted, shocked.

We all laughed.

Later, Paine would tell me she was afraid her brother-in-law would choose to name his kid after his departed brother Chappu, and Lulu would confide that she had allowed her husband to choose the name because he had let her choose everything else and she wanted him to feel important too. But in that moment, I didn't know any of this and so I clapped with the others when Wakka told us proudly "My son's name is going to be… Vidina!"

-----XX-----

"Rikku! Are you ready or not?" I yelled from the bottom of the stairs, looking up and trying to see my cousin's figure.

Paine was already on the outside waiting for us near my car. It was Saturday night and we were going to Gippal's house, where Nooj was holding a meeting for his friends. Everyone of our group was going to be there, plus LeBlanc (to Paine's chagrin) and, in a way that I still can't explain, Tidus. I think Rikku was the one who insisted with Nooj to invite him, but it could also have been Nooj's decision, after all they had got along great lately. It didn't surprise me, though ― Tidus had always been very sociable and friendly to everyone…

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Rikku yelled back, running down the stairs and almost bumping into me.

"Watch it, girl…" I stopped when I looked at her clothes and at her hair "Where do you think you're going, Riks?"

"To Nooj's get-together." She replied plainly "Why?"

"Have you looked yourself in the mirror yet?" I asked her with an amused smile.

"What! Is something wrong with my make-up! Is it my hair!"

She had a desperate expression and it made me frown.

"No, sweetie, everything's perfect. That's the problem. Don't you think you're a little dressed up? After all it's only a small meeting with our friends…"

She blushed. "Do you think that? It's that… well, I mean… you see…"

I laughed. "Yeah, Rikku, Gippal's gonna be very impressed."

"No! It's not that!" she said a little too quickly.

"Of course not, cous…" I giggled again and made my way outside.

"Finally." Paine remarked, unfolding her arms and opening the passenger's door. I sat beside her on the driver's seat and fastened the seatbelt. "What took you so long?"

I pointed to the backseat where Rikku was looking herself in the mirror again and Paine nodded her understanding with a slight smirk. I started the car and we sped off to Gippal's. We got there fifteen minutes later only to find out that we were the last ones. No big news on that one ― with all the time Rikku had taken to prepare herself… Of course we didn't mention that part to keep Rikku out of embarrassments ― even Paine kept her mouth shut. We just apologized for the delay and made ourselves comfortable on the sofas with Rikku sitting quite close to the only other Al Bhed in the room…

We chatted for awhile until Paine dropped the question. "So… when are you planning on telling us what this Luca thing is about?"

Gippal and Rikku shifted in their seats, somehow getting closer to each other.

"Eh eh… you see…" Rikku started.

"Right… we thought that…" Gippal said at the same time.

"Well, you are gonna have to explain it sooner or later, guys." Baralai added. He was seated next to me and I was resting my head on his shoulder. Since we had met, our friendship had deepened and we had become closer and now I even thought how I could have been so silly to think that Baralai and I could possibly hook up sometime ― now I could see him as nothing more than a great friend. Unfortunately, someone didn't share my point of view for there was a pair of piercing blue eyes set on us. I could only imagine what Tidus was thinking about seeing me that intimate with Baralai but by the way his gaze was fixed on me, his brows slightly frowned and his lips tightened together in a line, I could tell it was nothing good. Maybe he thought that there was something going on between me and Baralai… Well, I couldn't blame him ― I had thought the same when I had seen him with Dona and then he had said she was just his friend. What I didn't understand was why he cared. Then again, I didn't understand why I cared about him and Dona either, so…

"Well," Gippal began "it all started when Cid's girl and I were talking about the time I lived in Luca. Suddenly we thought it was a good idea to go and spend some days there. We started looking up for hotels and tours and things like that―"

"And we found out this huge promotion that was too good to be true!" Rikku continued "So we thought that we should all go together and we made the reservations."

"We know we should have told you first, but―"

"It was such a good offer that we thought that if we took time to ask you it would probably expire or something…"

"Yeah. So we booked the hotel and the tours for eight people ― we knew Nooj wouldn't go without LeBlanc" at this point LeBlanc threw her arms around her boyfriend and kissed his cheek "and Rikku was planning on inviting you." Gippal finished, turning to Tidus.

He took his eyes off of me for an instant. "Yeah, I really appreciated the invitation ― I wasn't expecting it. Thanks."

"Anytime." Gippal said back, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Anyways," Rikku proceeded, leaning back on the couch. "Everything is already set up: we leave Friday at 9a.m. and we return Monday at 6p.m."

"You happen to know that Friday and Monday are school days, right?" Paine inquired, her gaze travelling between Rikku and Gippal.

"Yeah, but it's only two days and we can catch up easily…" he responded "Besides, none of us has tests those days, we checked it."

"Oh, you did?" Paine raised an eyebrow.

"Yup." Rikku beamed proudly. We laughed.

"Well, I guess it's okay then…" I said, unlinking my arm from Baralai's and straightening up. "Count me in."

Baralai and Tidus agreed and Paine jut nodded. It was her way of showing that she would go too.

"Nooj and I are in too, loves. Aren't we, Noojie-Woojie?" LeBlanc turned to her boyfriend, who had turned a light shade of pink before nodding his agreement.

"And how do we get there?" Nooj asked, trying to divert the attentions.

"Driving." Gippal answered "We can take my car and yours, or Yuna's. We're eight, so it's enough if we take two cars. Then we take the ferry."

"You do know that driving, it takes seven hours from Besaid to Luca, don't you?" Paine asked coolly.

"Sure, but do you have any other ideas?" Gippal asked back.

"Well, I do." Tidus said from where he was. We all looked at him. "We could take my airship. It's not the same as cars, but―"

"You have a ship?" LeBlanc questioned, sitting up straight. She had been very excited when she had met Tidus for the first time, since he was a _star_ and all, and even now she looked at him like he was a celebrity. No one else in our group did it, but LeBlanc couldn't help it, it was just the way she was…

"Yes, I do. Auron gave it to me for my last birthday. It's big enough for twelve people, so we would be comfortable enough. Besides, once we get to Luca we could always rent some cars…"

Gippal looked up, pondering that idea. Finally he smiled and nodded. "I think it's a great idea. It's a lot faster _and_ it allows us to save some more money to rent the cars. Yeah, it's the best."

Everyone agreed and the rest of the night was spent discussing other small details about the trip, like where we wanted to go, what we wanted to do or how we wanted to spend the days…

When we finally left Gippal's house, everything was already set up and everyone had agreed on going. Now, we just needed the week to be over…

* * *

A/N: I know this isn't the best chapter ever and I'm sorry for that, but I've been dealing with a huge crisis of writer's block ― couldn't even write two chapters during the vacation time ― and this is really been stressing me out. Maybe now that I'm back I'll get my inspiration back.

Anyways, today I was about to post two chapters, but the second one isn't ready yet. So I ask you to be more patient and to put up with me for a little longer. I'll be posting the next one in a matter of days, I promise.

I don't know if I'm allowed to do this, but if I'm not, just tell me and I won't do it again. While I still don't know, here go my thanks:

**ANIMEGURL04:** Well, here's the update. It took some time, but it's finally here. Yeah, Yuna's beginning to realize she still has feelings for Tidus ― strange feelings she can't/don't want to understand, but they're feelings nevertheless… Maybe when she admits them, things will get easier for both of them. _If_ she'll ever admit them… ;-)

**Yuna But Blonder:** Thank you, the update is here. I hope it didn't disappoint you.

**Sum1special:** Thanks, I did.

**Rachel XXX:** Thanks. Glad you liked it, I really hope you liked this one too. Sorry about the cliffy, but I thought it was a great way of ending the chapter. And as you can see, everything's fine and everyone's happy. Oh, and I'm sorry for the long wait too…

**tidusXyuna637:** Thank you. As you can see, the end of august came really quickly, didn't it? ;-) Oh, and don't be sorry about wanting to have Tidus and Yuna back together. It's only natural, I want them together too, believe me… But I'll go where the story takes me, so… We'll see.

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** Thanks, it's good to know you liked it, maybe you'll like this one too… hopefully. I know what you mean about not feeling like writing, I've been feeling the same. Add that to a major writer's block and you'll see what I'm going through… Well, anyways, the chapter's here and now I'm gonna read the fics that have been updated during my absence ― yours included. See ya soon.

**Tidus + Yuna Flamboyent:** Yes, they _aren't_ a couple, but that does not mean they aren't _going to_ be a couple in the future. As I said before, I've got plans for them and I'm sure you'll like it. I'm just not sure how this fic will end, that's all…

**kyritawuv:** Thank you. I'm also glad that Tidus and Yuna are interacting more ― after all, the story revolves around them and if they'd be indifferent around each other I would not have a plot… As for Paine, well, she's human too and that's what I wanted to show, that she doesn't have a rock instead of a heart… If you got that message, then my job was well done. :-)

**seelenspiel:** Thank you so much for the review, I'm really happy you like the way I write. It gives me strength to continue.

**Duderman:** I would love to receive the money, but I need Baralai in my story. He still has some unsolved business to take care of, so I can't make him disappear… As for Yuna, well she's strong and stubborn, but she's also reasonable and I think that when she figures her feelings out she will admit them… Anyways, thanks for waiting and I hope you won't think I wasted your time.

**angelixx:** Thanks, I will keep writing, don't worry.

Well guys, that's all for now. I promise I'll be back sooner this time. And if you wanna make me happy don't forget… just review. Love ya all…


	15. Chapter 14: Our trip to Luca

_**Chapter 14**_

_**Our trip to Luca**_

Have you ever had one of those days in which you don't want to wake up even if your life depends on it? Well, that's the way I felt Friday morning, when Rikku entered my room jumping around and screaming my name in an attempt to make me get up.

"Please, Rikku, please, just five more minutes…" I pleaded, covering my head with the sheets.

Friday morning had come sooner than I had expected ― to be honest, and even though I could really use this journey as a get-away from all the troubles I was facing in Besaid, the truth was that I also had a feeling about this trip that made me fearful of it. I didn't know what it was, or if it was good or bad, but somehow I didn't think those days were going to be as calm and funny as everyone was expecting.

"C'mon, Yunie, we gotta get going!" my cousin pulled the sheets out of my face and the sunlight hit me straight in the eyes, forcing me to open them.

Last week, when we had been at Nooj's, we had decided to accept Tidus' offer and so we were going to Luca in his ship. Because of that, we had agreed on meeting at the airport, where the ship would be ready to leave (Tidus had a private pilot, who had been previously informed about our plans and who was supposed to have everything settled even before we entered the ship). Since the airport was far from our places, Paine, Rikku and I had to get up at least half an hour earlier, if we wanted to be there on time. Fortunately, I'm an organized person and so I'd left everything already packed and ready to go the night before, so that gave me a few extra moments to sleep in if I wanted to ― which was definitively the case. But I should've known that I could never sleep in with a cousin like Rikku yelling in my ear about clothes and make-up and ships and friends and anything else she could possibly remember to talk about…

Yawning, I got up and made my way to the bathroom, where I turned the hot water on and stepped in the shower, allowing the falling droplets of water to wash away my tiredness and completely wake me up. After returning to my room, I realized with a sigh of relief that Rikku had gone someplace else and so I took the time to get the clothes I had chosen to wear that day ― a pair of fitted baby-blue jeans and a turquoise halter under a white shirt tied up above the waistline ― and put them on. To finish up, I spread a soft baby-blue shadow on my eyelids and shiny gloss on my lips and put on a pair of dark-blue high-heeled boots. Looking myself in the mirror I suddenly realized I had been taking extra-time in choosing the clothes the night before and that made me wonder why. There was completely, absolutely and positively _no one_ that I would like to impress, so… Coming out of the blue, a pair of ― how ironic! ― blue eyes crept into my mind, followed closely by the blonde hair, the warm smile and the strong features of an all too familiar face… _No, no, no! I don't want to think about _him_ now! Just because he's coming with us and we're riding in his ship, it doesn't mean that I'll have to be with him longer than I must… 'Cause I don't want to spend a single more minute than I have to with him… After all, I'm waaaay over him by now._

Then why was I thinking about him? Why had I been dressing up and applying make-up and all if there was no one to impress, no one to see me?

_Because _I_ want to feel good with myself, _I_ want to feel beautiful, _I_ want to feel like I'm much better than any Zanarkandian girl…_

Oh Yevon, there I was again! Couldn't I really stop thinking about Zanarkand and Tidus for a single moment in time? I was beginning to feel tired of this and Tidus had not been in Besaid for a month yet. What if he decided to stay a year? How would I react then?

"Yuna, you ready?" Paine asked, opening my bedroom's door and poking her head in.

I snapped my head around to face her and couldn't help but smirk when I saw her all dressed in tight black leather, except for the red low-cut corset she was wearing as a top. Apparently I hadn't been the only one to dress up and that made me somewhat more comfortable. Her dark-silver hair was pulled back as usual and that reminded me that I still hadn't done mine. I told her I needed five more minutes and, unlike Rikku, she obliged, closing the door behind her, while I rushed to my full-length mirror with a can of mousse in my hand.

About ten minutes later we were leaving our street and heading to the airport. Even now I still don't understand how Rikku made her father agree with that trip, but however it was, that morning he just gave us all a goodbye kiss and told me, secretly, to watch out for his little girl. I told him everything was going to be okay, and that Rikku was already a big girl who could defend herself very well, but still I promised I would keep an eye on her. Somehow, I think my uncle had a feeling about that trip too, and that his would prove more accurate than mine…

-----XX-----

"Hey, look who they are!" Gippal exclaimed, looking us approvingly up and down. If I hadn't known him for so long, I would probably have slapped him right there and then, but after so long I just knew it'd be useless. Besides, I also knew that Gippal wasn't exactly checking us out, for he had no second intentions with us ― well, maybe he had second intentions with Rikku… Okay, he definitely had second intentions with that one, but not with me or Paine… ―; he was just showing us that he liked the way we were dressed. And if he did, that meant that other guys would like it too.

"Hi, girls, you're gorgeous." Baralai complimented, as we walked side by side towards them.

We had left the car in the airport's parking lot and then had made our way to where Tidus' airship was waiting for us. Gippal and Baralai were the only ones already there.

"Where's everybody else?" Rikku asked, sitting on top of her huge bag and crossing her bare legs in a tantalizing way.

Gippal couldn't take his eyes off of her while he answered her "Nooj went off to get LeBlanc and Tidus didn't show up yet."

Baralai smirked. "Still, I bet Tidus will be here before Nooj and LeBlanc arrive. As far as I know, she may still be not quite sure which dress to pack…"

Despite ourselves, we all laughed, picturing LeBlanc with two dresses in her hands and her bags still unpacked. Paine was still chuckling when she said "I have to agree with you on that one, Baralai. I still can't understand why Nooj likes her so much…"

"Well…" Gippal started, grinning mischievously "I can _see_ why he likes her so―"

**Smack**!

"Ouch, Cid's girl! What was that for?"

Rikku sat again, before scolding him "She's your best-friend's girl, Gippal. Don't ya think you should respect her a little more?"

Gippal pouted, but he didn't present Rikku with any of his typical remarks, and Paine diverted our attention by showing us some photos of Vidina ― I had never thought Paine to be one of those persons to walk around with photos of her relatives and my point was proven when she quickly explained "These were taken by Wakka, and Lulu insisted with me to bring them and to show you how Vidina's growing."

"Ra'c cu cfaad (He's so sweet)!" Rikku exclaimed.

"Yeah, he's really a sweet little thing…" I agreed, looking at the pictures.

We were still looking at the pictures and talking about Vidina when Nooj and LeBlanc arrived in his car, the trunk full of LeBlanc's luggage. While each one of us took one bag or two with our personal belongings, LeBlanc took five or six, being Nooj the one who carried them all.

"Hello, loves!" LeBlanc greeted, coming near us and hugging everyone. When she came near Paine though, my friend just glared at her coldly and LeBlanc took a step back, apparently realizing it wasn't a very good idea to hug Paine.

"Hi everyone!" Nooj added "Where's Tidus?"

"Right here." Tidus voice came from behind the airship and his figure came into our view. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I had a little problem…"

"I wouldn't call it a problem, sweetie."

I turned sharply around to see to whom that voice belonged and I was definitely not pleased to see it belonged to none other than Dona. She looked even more stunning today, with her hair pulled up and her black dress clinging gracefully to all her curves. And she had curves that could catch any guy's attention, as I noticed when my gaze travelled from Gippal to Baralai and even Nooj. Only Tidus remained calm and unfazed as if Dona's attributes didn't disturb him anymore.

"Well, I would, Dona." Tidus counter back, crossing his arms on his chest. "After all, you weren't invited…"

I blinked twice. "What?"

Tidus moved his piercing gaze towards my direction and, the moment our eyes met, his blue ones softened and I saw his face became more relaxed and the lines of concern that moments before were there disappeared lightly, making him younger and more handsome… He dropped his arms by his sides and took a step forward, giving me a small smile. Seeing him like that made my mind race back to the last time we had seen each other, two nights ago. Tidus had been in my house searching for Rikku, but she had gone out with some high school friends.

"Well, in that case I think I should get going, now… I don't want to bother you." he had said in a low voice, his head hanging down and his blonde bangs hiding his eyes.

"You don't bother me, Tidus." I had responded, lifting my hand and gently touching his arm. I don't know what made me do it, but it felt so right. "You never did."

The last words had been whispered but still he heard them and his head shot up so quickly that it almost startled me. I held his gaze for a few moments while his eyes searched deep in my soul, but he finally averted them, focusing somewhere below. It took me a second to realize he was staring at my lips… Suddenly his hand grabbed mine and his eyes turned to mine again. _What's he doing?_, I had asked myself, fearing that out of the impulse he would step forward and grab me and kiss me. I don't know if I was relieved or disappointed when he took a step back.

"Thank you." he had said softly, holding my hand to his chest "But I still think I should go now. I'll see you around, Yuna."

And he had turned around, letting go of my hand and disappearing into the darkness, leaving me behind with all my hopes and fears to haunt me again.

Now we were face to face again and apparently I wasn't the only one to relive that memory (and others). Tidus had a dreamy look in his eyes too and even if he didn't, all the signs indicated that he was more at ease and more at peace with me than he had been before. Even if he still felt that he couldn't read me, at least now he knew that we could be… what? Friends?

_I thought you had said you didn't want to be friends with him, Yuna._

And I had. What had changed then?

_Nothing! Nothing's changed, just you. You're letting your old feelings kick in again, aren't you?_

No, it wasn't like that. It was just… Oh Zaon, even I didn't know what was going on with me…

"So, Tidus dear, my suitcases are here. Would you please be kind enough to put them in the ship?" Dona's annoying voice brought me and Tidus back to reality.

"Is she going with us?" Paine raised an eyebrow.

Tidus looked at her, folding his arms once again. "That's the problem."

"I don't know why you keep calling it a problem. After all, it's your airship, isn't it? The one my uncle gave to you?"

Tidus flinched at her words but Rikku, who was beginning to get mad at Dona because Gippal couldn't take his eyes off of her, said matter-of-factly "It may be Tidus airship, but it was me who organized this trip and I didn't count you in, so…"

"And you are?" Dona looked Rikku down, as if she was completely uninteresting.

Rikku's face turned a bright red with fury, but before she could answer Dona evenly, Tidus stepped in the middle and said quickly "Rikku's my best friend ever, Dona. She's like a sister to me and―"

"I got it, baby." Dona interrupted "This girl's important to you."

For some reason I don't know, her eyes fell on me and if looks could kill, I would be dead that moment, for she glared daggers at me.

"Loves," LeBlanc intervened, clapping her hands to get our attention "There's no need to get all picky on this, don't you think?"

_It appears that she didn't see the way Nooj was checking Dona out._ I suppressed a giggle and looked down so they could not see my smiling face.

"I think LeBlanc's right." Gippal joined in "Where there's room for eight, there's room for nine."

"Ten, actually." Tidus grunted "Dona goes nowhere without her bodyguard. This is Barthello, guys."

It surprised me that I hadn't seen him sooner. Barthello was big enough to be seen even behind Tidus and Dona; yet, his discreetness kept him unseen, like he was no one important until he was needed. Only later would I realize that that was precisely the way Dona treated him ― like he was no one…

Barthello saluted us with a simple nod and Dona immediately waved her hand in dismissal. "So, Tidus, sweetheart, shall we go?"

The girl was definitely beginning to annoy me. Who the hell did she think she was? Just because she had come with Tidus, that didn't give her the right to treat us all like we were inferiors to her…

"Will you hold your chocobos for a sec, Dona?" Tidus snapped at her. "Damn girl, at least let's hear what they have to say about this, okay?"

Dona pouted, but she didn't say anything else while we discussed the subject. Gippal, Baralai and Nooj didn't seem to mind having Dona in their trip, and neither did LeBlanc. Paine's face was unreadable and Rikku was still boiling with anger, so her opinion was quite clear. And to think she was the one who suggested Tidus that we could add one more bed to one of the rooms… As for me…

"I don't see why Dona can't go." I heard myself saying. Rikku turned to me with a shocked expression and Paine lifted one eyebrow in confusion "After all, we can always add one more bed to one of the rooms. And as long as Dona pays her part, I think she can come along…"

"Yuna…" Rikku's swirled eyes were very expressive. She was concerned about me. After avoiding Dona for so long, now I was almost inviting her to tag along and it just seemed so unlike me that my cousin was worried…

Somehow though, I knew I was doing the right thing. Saying I didn't want Dona in our trip was almost saying that she affected me, that she intimidated me, that she was better than me… And I would never give her that pleasure. So she could come with us, and I would prove to her that she couldn't disturb me, that Tidus couldn't disturb me.

"It's settled then." LeBlanc exclaimed, putting an end to the discussion.

Fifteen minutes later we were flying above the ocean, heading to Luca.

-----XX-----

The hotel we were staying in at Luca was a very enjoyable place, with large bedrooms and suites, beautiful and luxuriant gardens and a huge indoor swimming-pool. The employees were also very nice and helpful and as soon as we exposed our situation, or 'problem' as Tidus continued to call it, they tried to solve it immediately, adding another bed in two of our rooms ― one for Dona and one for Barthello.

"This is so friggin' great!" Rikku exclaimed, throwing herself onto one of the beds in our room.

Paine placed her bags on top of another bed. "If you're jumping on that bed, you can call it yours. I'll take this one."

I entered the room behind them. "Well, I guess that leaves me with the bed closest to the balcony…"

"Are you complaining?" Paine asked.

I smirked. "Absolutely not!"

Paine returned the smirk and went back to unpacking. I was glad that she had decided to stay with me and Rikku in the same room ― I could not picture myself sharing a room with Dona or even LeBlanc, and I think Paine thought exactly the same as me… So she had just decided that the Yuripa, as Gippal sometimes called us, should stay together. When Leblanc had asked her why, she had just responded "Well, since you were the only one to be happy about Dona coming with us, I think it's only fair if you share a room with her."

And so, there we were, unpacking our bags in a very comfortable hotel room in Luca. When I finished taking my clothes out of my suitcase and putting them into the dresser that was beside my bed, I walked into the balcony and rested my elbows on the white stone railing, seeing the beautiful view of the beach in the distance. I was only sad it wasn't summer, or we could have had a great time on the beach; but it was winter and it was cold and rainy ― apparently we would have to stick to the indoor swimming-pool.

"Yunie." Rikku called from the inside.

I turned around to look at her and saw that she and Paine were at the door, talking to Gippal and Baralai. I walked back into the room and headed in their direction "What's up?"

"We're thinking about going to lunch." Gippal said, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. "We haven't eaten in almost five hours and I'm beginning to starve…"

I laughed at his dramatic expression. "I agree with you. I'm not starving, but I'm kinda hungry…"

"Where's the rest of the group?" Paine asked, sitting on her bed.

"Nooj and LeBlanc disappeared shortly after our arrival. I think they went on their own private _exploration_…" Gippal grinned mischievously and Rikku slapped his arm "Ouch! It's the second time today, woman!"

Rikku shrugged and turned to Baralai. "And Tidus?"

"He went to Dona's room and has been there until now." Baralai explained, glancing in my direction.

I averted his gaze, looking outside again. I could only imagine what Tidus and Dona were doing in her room and I didn't like any of the options. They could be just talking… Yeah, like I believed that. They were probably just taking advantage of LeBlanc's absence, doing what they couldn't do in her presence… I cringed at my own bitterness. _No_, I said to myself, shaking my head softly, _Tidus wasn't pleased about Dona coming, so… Could he be pretending? No, I would see through him… wouldn't I?_

"Yeah, before we came here I went there to call them, but I didn't even knock. Even from the outside I could hear their voices almost screaming. I think they were fighting…" Gippal added.

I turned my head to look at him, but he wasn't looking back. Actually, none of them was paying any attention at me, which somehow relieved me. That way they could not see what was going through my mind. So, Tidus and Dona had been arguing… Had it been because she had come? Why else?

"So, are we going or not?" Rikku asked all of a sudden.

"Going where?" I asked, snapping out of my thoughts.

"Dah! Going to lunch…"

-----XX-----

We were heading to the stairs to go to the restaurant when a very infuriated Tidus ran past us in the hallway and entered the room he shared with Gippal and Barthello, slamming the door behind him. We all looked at each other and Rikku was about to go back, but Gippal caught her arm and shook his head "Let him be for now. I'll talk to him later, I promise you."

"Okay, but you promised…" she said, putting her own hand over his and entangling her fingers with his.

He smiled and nodded and we started to descend the stairs. When we reached the restaurant and sat at a table, I was still thinking of Tidus. He was really mad, I could tell by the fire in his eyes and the fury that emanated from his every gesture. He hadn't even noticed us and we weren't exactly invisible…

"This place is great, guys!" Baralai complimented, sitting at a small table "It reminds me of our high school times…"

Gippal grinned broadly. "Glad you like it, Lai."

"Talking about high school…" Paine said coolly, taking a look at the menu "If you didn't make any plans for this afternoon, I'm thinking about meeting some old friends."

Rikku and Gippal exchanged glances. "No, we didn't plan anything." Rikku answered "We thought that you guys might want to rest or just check the views before we start any group tour…"

Paine nodded and ordered her meal. We followed her example and less than fifteen minutes later we were eating our lunches and chatting about Luca and the things we were going to do the next three days.

About half an hour later, Paine prepared to leave, telling she didn't know what time she would be back. When Baralai asked her who she was going to meet, she gave him a curious look before answering dryly "Aleph."

Baralai's face completely fell but Gippal didn't seem to notice it, for he said in an excited voice "Aleph! I haven't been with him in ages! Is his twin sister Irina going to be there too?"

"I don't think so." Paine replied plainly, in a way that showed she was tired of questions.

Gippal didn't get it. As he didn't get the look Rikku was giving him. "I would love to see that girl again… She was something special."

"If she was so special, then go with Paine and jump on her when you find her!" Rikku said irascibly, throwing her napkin at him.

Instead of feeling guilty or embarrassed, Gippal smirked. "You jealous?"

"You wished." Rikku responded in a vicious tone, her eyes narrowed to only green slits.

Gippal leaned forward. "Ytsed ed, Cid's girl (admit it)."

She also leaned, getting really close to his face. "Hajan (never)!"

"Guys, guys, c'mon, this trip is supposed to be about fun and friendship, not silly arguments and fights." Baralai reasoned.

Paine nodded her agreement and said goodbye, leaving the restaurant. I didn't pay her much attention, for I was thinking about what Baralai had said about arguments and fights and I was thinking of Tidus. He was alone in his room and he had been so mad… Had he argued with Dona? Why? They seemed pretty close to each other… _Don't even thin about going that way, Yuna_, I alerted myself, poking at my food with my fork. But I had lost my appetite. I couldn't stop thinking about him… Maybe he needed someone to talk to. Without realizing what I was doing, I put my fork down and stood up.

"Where are you going, Yuna?" Baralai asked, gazing up at me.

I blinked. "I… I need… to go to… to the restroom." I stammered, turning on my heels and getting away as fast as I could. I knew they were staring at me with confusion plastered on their faces, but I really didn't care at the time. My mind was already in big turmoil, full of questions and doubts. Tidus was alone in his room and I was currently heading there. Should I really go meet him? What if he didn't want me there? Or even worse, what if he really needed to talk with someone about his love problems with Dona? Would he tell them to me? And would I be strong enough to listen to him without getting hurt or jealous? Why was I going there in the first place?

I was still questioning myself when I stopped at his closed door. I lifted my fist but hesitated in knocking. Maybe I should just go back to the restaurant and pretend I'd never gone there…

Knock, knock, knock.

During the five seconds it took Tidus to open the door, I thought about running away, felt really sick and even felt like I was fainting, but none of it happened. It seemed I was glued to the floor, unable to do, say or feel anything. I was numb.

"Yuna!"

Somehow I managed to lift my head and look at him in the eye. Surprise was stamped in his blue ones, but there was also something else…

I remained silent.

"Are you okay?" he asked, extending his arm to touch mine.

Now it was concern I was seeing and that made me smile faintly as I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was worried about you…"

He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, giving me a questioning look. "About me? Why?"

I looked around, feeling a little exposed in that hallway, and then turned to him once more. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, of course!" he moved quickly aside, allowing me to enter his room, which was exactly like mine ― two opposite beds and then another one closer to the white balcony overlooking the city. The doors were wide open to let the bright daylight come into the room.

I stood there in the middle of the room, looking around, while Tidus closed the door and approach me from behind, resting his hand on my shoulder. I turned around instinctively and we faced each other.

"So…" he whispered.

"So…" I repeated in the same tone.

"Why did you come here?"

I stepped away from him before answering, going to sit on the edge of the nearest bed. I needed to clear my mind before saying anything I would later regret. Oh Yevon, why had I gone there?

Tidus sat next to me. "Yuna, I... don't understand…"

"I heard you had an argument with Dona… and then I saw you running past us and…" I trailed off, not knowing how to explain.

He turned his head to face me. "You were worried because of that?"

_I knew I shouldn't have said that._ "Well… I saw you were really mad and I…" I looked at him "I just wanted to know if you were okay…"

He smiled sweetly at me and his hand rested on my knee. I didn't remove it; I was lost in his eyes, in his smile…

"I'm fine." he said in a very soft voice "Now I'm even better…"

I felt myself blushing at the meaning of his words and averted his gaze. I needed to divert his attention somehow. Suddenly I stood up and walked to the balcony, looking out at the horizon.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I asked when I felt him by my side.

"Yeah."

I didn't know what else to say. My heart was pounding on my chest, my mind was racing with thoughts and yet I didn't know what to say to him. I just didn't know why sometimes I was angry with him and all I wanted was to shut him out, and other times I was like this, completely at peace in his company…

He was the first one to break the silence. "I argued with Dona because I didn't want her to come with us."

"Why?"

"Because of you." he noticed my gaze upon him and continued, sighing "I know Dona can be a pain sometimes and she's a little bitchy when she wants to ― look at how she treated Rikku this morning ― and I just… I guess I didn't want to… put you through that."

"I've already noticed Dona doesn't like me that much, Tidus." I told him quietly "But I wouldn't want to be the reason of your arguments…"

"I know."

"I don't really mind her being here with us." I proceeded "As long as she doesn't pick on me…"

He laughed "You really don't know her. She picks on everyone…"

"And you know her all too well…" I murmured, not looking at him.

I felt his eyes on me. "I don't know her all that well… Not the way I know―"

I turned sharply around, not letting him finish the sentence. I just didn't want to hear what he was going to say, I couldn't take it. I stormed into the room and was quickly walking to the door when Tidus grabbed my arm, making me turn and face him.

"Where are you going?"

"I should've never come here. It was a mistake."

"A mistake?" The hurt was clear in his eyes "Why?"

"Because… because… I don't know, I just…" I trailed off.

We just looked at each other for a few instants and then Tidus let go of me and turned away, going back to the balcony.

"Tidus…" He looked at me over his shoulder, but remained silent. I took a step in his direction. "I'm sorry, Tidus, I really am."

"It's okay…"

"No, it's not okay!" I exclaimed "Nothing's okay! This all story, everything that's going on… It's not okay!"

He turned to me again "Why did you come here?"

"I told you, to see if you―"

"―if I was okay. Yeah, you already said that. What I mean is: what's the reason behind that? You could've sent Rikku or Gippal… Why did _you_ come?"

I could just tell him I didn't want to trouble the others but I knew it was pointless lying to him. I sighed. "I don't know. It was almost like I didn't realize what I was doing until I was doing it. I think I was just so used to…" I let the sentence linger in the air, unfinished.

He nodded. "It's okay. Even if you think it's not, it is. Believe me."

"Thank you." I said softly, all my previous anger now gone. "And I'm sorry about this, it won't happen again…"

He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but then he changed his mind and closed it.

"Well, I think I better go now…" I told him hesitantly.

"Yes, Rikku's probably wondering where you are by now…" he responded, not meeting my gaze.

I laughed a little, but it sounded more like a nervous laugh. "Yeah, we know how she is… Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I am. You?"

I nodded and gave him a small smile. "Despite all this, I'm fine. I'm sorry again."

"You don't have to be… Really. Your visit was very nice, I liked it a lot." His voice was filled with sweetness again.

"That's nice… So, I'll see you at dinner, right?"

"I'll be there."

I smiled and turned around. This time he didn't stop me and I left his room, thinking about how complicated everything was being… I was doing stupid things that I didn't want to do, Tidus was affecting me more than I thought he was going to, and when the two of us were together… well, things weren't exactly easy ― we could be talking quietly and friendly and the next minute be almost yelling at each other; just like it had happened now.

"Yuna, isn't it?"

I looked over my shoulder only to see Dona right behind me, eyeing me with a superior look. I sighed; after my conversation with Tidus I was feeling emotionally tired… too tired to face Dona now.

"What do you want, Dona?" I asked, leaning against the wall.

"Oh, I just wanna talk to you." She replied too cheerfully, like we were best-friends or something…

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued with her actions. "About what?"

"Tidus, of course." She smiled sweetly, but there was something wrong with her smile, it was almost like she was faking it.

"And what about Tidus?" I was getting tired of this nonsense. Why on Spira would that girl want to talk to me about Tidus? I had nothing to tell her and there was nothing I wanted to hear from her, so…

"He's a really sweet and lovely guy, isn't he?" she continued, not noticing ― or pretending not to notice ― my look of suspicion.

"Do you have a point, Dona?" I asked suddenly "'Cause I don't really have time to chat with you about Tidus right now."

"Yeah, I do have a point… Yuna." Dona's voice had lost its sweetness and she wasn't smiling anymore. She was getting mad at my indifference and that made me smile.

"And that would be…?" I gestured with my hands so she would complete the sentence. This seemed to annoy her even further.

All of my emotional tiredness was gone by now and that surprised me. Being with Tidus had drained my energies because of all the strength I needed to control myself and my feelings and emotions, but arguing with Dona was somehow regenerating ― she didn't affect me as much as I thought she would and so I could remain calm and collected during our conversations; she, on the other hand, didn't last long before burst out with rage. And that was what really amused me: seeing her mad.

"I want to warn you to stay away from my man." Her expression was almost threatening.

I let out a small smile at her arrogance. "And your man is…?"

"Tidus, of course!"

"Right…" I paused before continuing "Well, Dona, I want to tell you that I don't give a damn about your relationship with Tidus. It has absolutely nothing to do with me…"

"Then why were you leaving his room?"

"What are you accusing me of? In case you haven't noticed, it's also Gippal's room. And Barthello's. And I can go visit them anytime I want. Even Tidus. After all, he's an old friend of mine." I knew that was not exactly the truth, but I just wanted to see the look in her face…

"Friend? I don't think so, darling…" She almost spat the last word and that made me smirk.

"Okay, I admit it. We may not be the best of friends right now, but I can tell you this: no matter how close you are to Tidus, you'll never know him better than I do."

The moment I had said those words I'd wanted to take them back. I just wanted to see how far I could go, but now I thought I'd gone too far ― I knew I was being arrogant and conceited, but that girl was bringing out the worst of me. I just couldn't stand her without replying evenly.

"What do you mean? I know Tidus very well."

Now I couldn't take back what I had said ― and even if I could a part of me didn't want to ― and so I had to take it all the way. "Is that right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, do you want me to prove you?"

I folded my arms across my chest and smirked. "I wouldn't mind."

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter better than the last one, for I only got four reviews for that one. :-(

Anyways, for the ones who did review, here go my thanks:

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** Thanks. This chapter was supposed to come out sooner, but then I had a few problems with my computer and… Well, it's here anyway, that's what's important. I hope you like it too…

**Duderman:** Thank you, but I cannot kill Baralai. I need him in this fic, I've told you… And he and Yuna are friends, really good friends. Nothing more; don't worry, this won't be a YunaxBaralai thing. Not with Tidus in the picture ;-) Anyways, here's the update.

**kyritawuv:** Thanks. Yeah, Wakka was pretty frantic, but I guess it suits him. And Paine… well, it was a first for her. She's used to deal with things she knows, with feelings she knows, but when something new comes up she has to learn how to deal with it. And even though she tries to hide it behind that unreadable face of hers, the people who truly know her notice the small changes… But I'm glad you liked it.

**tidusXyuna637:** Sorry for the long wait on the last chapter, but it was really impossible for me to update. And I hope this was soon enough for you. Thank you.

Well, that's all for now. Hope you liked it. See ya soon…


	16. Chapter 15: Luca wild nights

A/N: Hey people, here I am again! And this time, with a long chapter… Anyways, today's been one of the best days ever and I'm so happy right now! Today I got to know to which college I'm going and, here in Portugal, that's a very important thing, so… Well, I'm gonna stop babbling and let you read the chapter. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter 15**_

_**Luca wild nights**_

_Stupid Dona! Stupid Rikku! Stupid me!_, I closed the door to my room with a loud bang and threw myself onto my bed, shutting my eyes in order to forget the last events. Why had I gone to Tidus' room? Why had Dona seen it? Why had she provoked me and why had I answered her? Why had Rikku suggested _that_? And even worse, why had we accepted it? _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

When I had told Dona that she would never get to know Tidus the way I knew him, it wasn't my intention to bring such confusion upon us. I just wanted to shut her up. She always thought she was so damn good and so hot that I wanted to… Yevon, I don't even know what I wanted to prove by telling her that. All I know is that I found myself in the middle of a huge problem when I saw Rikku coming in our direction with a bright smile on her small lips. I should've known my cousin would be looking for a chance to get even with Dona for the way she had treated her that morning, but I never thought she would get me into one of her schemes. Now I knew I was wrong.

Rikku had suggested that Dona and I would do a quiz about Tidus. It was a simple thing, in fact ― Rikku would give us a list of questions about him and we would answer them separately; after that, the same questions would be asked the boy himself and then Rikku would match the answers and the one of us who had the highest rate of right answers would be the winner, the one who knew Tidus better.

She had explained all this with a huge smile, making it sound so plain and simple, and yet I still thought it was a crazy and a very embarrassing idea. I knew Rikku had faith that I would win, after all, Tidus and I had a past together and a very intense relationship bounding us, and I also knew that she was expecting it, seeing it as an opportunity to humiliate Dona. But I didn't want to humiliate Dona, and I wasn't so sure I would win ― Dona and Tidus seemed close and she had been the one to be with him for the last two years, and if I had changed I was certain he had changed too. Besides, answering a quiz about a guy sounded really silly, like we were those young teenagers answering those quizzes in the magazines. And if Tidus knew ― and I was sure Rikku would tell him ― what would he think of us? It almost looked like we were fighting for him or something… No, I definitely didn't like the idea.

Unfortunately for me, Dona liked it. She was so shallow and futile, and so non-intelligent, that she actually thought it was a very good plan. And she accepted it without a second thought, accusing me, when I said that I didn't agree with it, of being a coward, too scared to compete against her.

"That's it, lady," Rikku had said, ready to jump on her and pull off that incredibly long hair of hers. "No one talks to my cousin like that!"

I grabbed my cousin's arm and pulled her back, trying to prevent something worse from happening, and faced Dona, looking her in the eye, even though she was taller than me. "Okay, Dona, I'll do it. If it means so much to you, I'll do it. But let me tell you this: I don't need to prove anything to anyone, not now, not ever. Got it?"

Dona smirked. "Crystal."

Rikku, who had calmed down in the meanwhile, spoke again "Okay, I think tomorrow's evening is a good time to do it, don't you?"

We both nodded before Dona walked away, swaying her hips all the way until she reached the elevator. When she was out of sight, I turned to Rikku "What was that all about?"

"Well, you two were talking about knowing Tidus and so, and I thought it was a good way to see who was right." She said plainly, shrugging.

"Well, guess what, Rikku? It's not!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air "I don't like when people eavesdrop on my conversation and then give their opinions about it."

"It's not my fault you were talking so loud that one could hear you from around the corner, okay?" Rikku said back "And I just wanted to help you out!"

"Admit it, Rikku, you just wanted to make Dona look bad…"

She lowered her eyes to conceal the guilt, before facing me again. "What if I wanted? She talks 'bout Tidus like he belongs to her, but we both know he doesn't. She needs to be taught a lesson!"

"And you had to choose me to do it, didn't you?" I shook my head at her and then turned on my heels, heading to my room, where I was currently lying on my bed, complaining about my life until I fell asleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but it was almost dark when I woke up with the sound of the door opening. I didn't bother in turning and seeing who had entered the room ― it was probably Rikku getting ready for dinner and I didn't want to talk to her right now, I was still a little disappointed that she had decided to get even through me.

"Yuna? Are you awake?" Paine's voice asked from behind me.

I sat up on the bed and looked at her in the dim light of the room. "Hey, Paine." I greeted.

"Hey yourself." She smiled, turning the lights on. It looked like she had just arrived, her coat still over her leather clothes. "What happened? Why are you here all by yourself?"

I sighed, thinking I really needed to talk to someone about everything that was happening to me lately. And I knew that Paine was a very good listener. So, I told her everything that had happened earlier that day, from my conversation with Tidus to my argument with Rikku.

"And now I don't know what to think." I concluded, looking at my hands "My feelings are so mixed up right now; it's like I'm not even sure of how I'm supposed to feel…"

Paine, who had taken her jacket off and had also taken a seat on the bed beside me, rested a hand on my shoulder. "You're confused; it's natural. But you need to think about what's best for you… and not for your cousin."

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning a little.

Paine gave me a small smile. "I know you love to please Rikku and that a smile of hers can light up your world, but I don't think she deserves some sacrifices you make. And according to what you've said, Tidus is making a huge effort too. Do you really think this is all necessary?"

She was right, I knew it. Maybe Tidus and I were trying to make work something that couldn't possible work; maybe we weren't meant to be friends again, maybe I should just act like Shuyin and tell Tidus I didn't want to see him around me anymore; that my friends were mine and that he was just an intruder. Maybe, but… I didn't really think of him as an intruder; I had never seen him that way. For me, he had every right to be there, like he was meant to be in Besaid, to be friends with my friends, to live life the way I always dreamt he would live. I was the intruder in that picture, I was the Bevellian girl who had suddenly showed up and changed everyone's lives… A tear slid down my cheek and I wiped it away quickly, trying to hide it from Paine.

"You're right; maybe we're trying too hard…" I whispered, looking out the balcony doors. "But you're wrong on one thing, though ― we're not doing it for Rikku." Tidus' words echoed in my head: _Let's make it work; but not for Rikku… for us._ "We're doing it for us."

Paine didn't say anything for a few moments, but I could tell she was eyeing me closely, maybe trying to read what was going on my mind. I guess it wasn't too hard to tell…

"How 'bout you, girl?" I asked suddenly, turning to my friend and giving her a half-hearted smile "I bet your afternoon was better than mine. Had fun?"

Paine just shrugged, getting up and heading to her dresser.

"I guess you can call it fun." She said indifferently, starting to rummage through her things "I'd missed Aleph." She added, picking a black shirt from one of the drawers.

"Is Aleph an old friend of yours? From your high school days?" I was curious about that.

"Yeah, he's a good friend." Paine answered. It was weird though; her voice had no hint of emotion in it. "He's there when he's needed."

Her short and detached answers were confusing me, so I thought I should change the subject. Besides, there was one thing I wanted to ask her. "Paine, about that quiz Rikku suggested…"

"Yeah?" This time she turned around, facing me from across the room with piercing red eyes.

"Do you think I should have refused it? It's not like I want to do it…" I added, looking down at my hands.

"You did what you had to do." Paine said simple "Refusing it would be like refusing a challenge, and being the woman of honor I know you are you would never refuse a challenge."

I smiled in appreciation. Those words, coming from Paine, could only be a compliment and it was really rare seeing Paine giving out compliments. With a nod, I thanked her silently.

She smiled back and turned her attention to her dresser once again, taking out a pair of black jeans to match the shirt. I imagined she didn't want to go to dinner with the same leather clothes she had been wearing all day long, just like I didn't mind taking a bath and changing too. I was just thinking about that when my cell-phone rang. I extended my arm to my bedside table and picked it up.

"Yuna, it's Gippal. Where are you?"

I frowned at his question. "I'm in my room. Where'd I be?"

"I don't know ― that's why I asked." He said nonchalantly "Anyways, it's almost seven and we're going to the hotel restaurant now. Do you wanna join us for dinner?"

"Of course. Paine and I will be down there in ten minutes, okay?"

"Sure, we'll wait up for you."

We both hanged up at the same time and I looked at Paine, who was looking back at me. "It was Gippal. They're gonna have dinner here at the restaurant and they're counting us in. Wanna go?"

"Yeah, okay." Paine shrugged. She then looked at the jeans in her hand and said, as an after though "Ten minutes you said… We don't have time to get changed."

"And I don't have time to take a bath either…" I sighed, standing up and going to the bathroom to look myself in the mirror "I look positively horrible."

I grabbed my brush and passed it through my tangled hair, undoing the knots and trying to give it a presentable look. Then I redid my make-up a little, so it wouldn't look too clumsy. Finally, I got out of the bathroom to put my boots on.

"Are you ready?" Paine asked. She hadn't had time to change her leather clothes so she had just dressed the black shirt over her red corset and had tied it on the waist just like I had done to mine. I couldn't help but giggle a little when I gazed at her ― she looked like my evil twin, all dressed in black and red while I was in white and blue.

We got to the restaurant ten minutes later, like I had told Gippal. They were already seated at a round table and we just joined them, sitting down at the only two empty places. This time it wasn't like the last time we had all eaten together ― this time there were also Dona and Barthello, Rikku and I had argued, Paine and Baralai barely even spoke to each other and Tidus didn't stop glancing in my direction with those beautiful eyes of his. Only Nooj, LeBlanc and Gippal seemed unfazed by the tense atmosphere that surrounded us, and they were the ones that were doing all the talking, even though Dona threw in a remark or two ― pointless remarks, may I add.

"So, guys, where do you wanna go tonight?" Gippal asked all of a sudden, looking around the table. "Cid's girl?"

Rikku glanced at him and then at her meal again, poking it with her fork. "I don't know…"

"C'mon, kiddo, what are you sayin'?" Gippal frowned and elbowed her. "You were so excited about Luca wild nights, remember?"

"Yeah…" she continued to look down.

"Is everything alright, Rikku?" Baralai asked from her other side.

She nodded weakly.

I was starting to feel bad about her and shifted in my seat. Tidus turned his gaze towards me, a questioning look in his cerulean eyes. I averted mine in the other direction. But even though I could escape Tidus' questions, I could not ignore my cousin's behavior ― she looked so sad…

"Rikku, can you come with me to the restroom, please?" I asked my cousin, who lifted her head to look at me with surprise stamped in her big swirled eyes.

"Sure." She said, while we both stood up.

"Excuse me, everyone, we'll be right back, I promise." I apologized, following Rikku to the ladies' room. When we got there, I closed the door behind us and faced my cousin in the huge mirror. "Are you acting like this because of what I said to you this afternoon?"

Her eyes widened. I guess she didn't expect me to go straight to the subject, but hanging out with Paine was teaching me some things.

"I guess I'm just sad because you're mad at me, Yunie." she quickly began to explain "I didn't think it would mean this much to you, otherwise I wouldn't have said a word to Dona, I swear to you, I just wanted to help you and to show that little Miss-I'm-so-good that she isn't as important as she thinks she is, because I know Tidus doesn't like her and I know that―"

I hushed her by putting two fingers in front of her lips. "I forgive you for what you've done, Rikku." I told her calmly "even though I still don't agree with it, I forgive you. But all those things you're saying… How do you know Tidus doesn't like Dona? What if we're the wrong ones here, Rikku? What if Tidus and Dona _are_ together? Do you really think we have the right to step in the middle of their relationship?"

She tilted her head to the side. "Tidus and Dona _aren't_ together, Yunie. That's just not possible. He loves you, he belongs with you. Not with her."

I smiled sadly. "Rikku… Tidus _loved_ me, he doesn't anymore. Just like I loved him, but now…"

"What? You don't have feelings for him anymore?" Rikku asked, putting her hands on her hips "Is that why you went to his room while he was there all alone?"

"Rikku…" I massaged my temples to keep my mind clear "I don't wanna argue with you again, cousin. Tidus and I are trying to establish a friendship between the two of us. We're taking a pace at a time. Even if Dona isn't his girlfriend, it's not like I'm rushing back into his arms again… Not after everything that I've been through because of him. And my feelings aren't very clear at the moment. So can we just drop the Tidus subject for a while and try to have some peace between us?" I pleaded.

My cousin nodded and then threw her arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged back, relishing the warmth and affection I was receiving. I needed Rikku's support, she was the only one who could cheer me up if things got me down. And she needed me too, that was why she had been so sad before…

When we got back to the table everyone was almost finishing their meals, but we really didn't mind ― neither of us was too hungry. Rikku turned to Gippal and elbowed him to get his attention. He almost choked, but managed to look at her and when he saw her eyes sparkling he smiled broadly.

"I've been thinkin', and I changed my mind." She said, beaming at him "I think we should go out and enjoy Luca wild nights!"

-----XX-----

Gippal hadn't been joking when he had said that Luca was even busier at night than during the day. When we left the hotel, about an hour after dinner (after all, the girls needed time to get dressed up ― and so did the boys, event though they didn't admit it), we found ourselves in a crowded street, with people of all ages cruising around.

"Whoa, it looks almost like Zanarkand!" Dona said, looking everywhere. I remembered what Tidus had said about being her first time in Luca and I thought that right now she looked almost like a regular kid checking her surroundings, instead of that annoying girl she was most of the times. If she could be like that more often, maybe I would start to dislike her less.

"Yeah, well, it's fantastic, isn't it?" Gippal opened his arms and twirled in the middle of the street, forcing people to walk around to avoid being hit by him.

"So, where are we going, Gippal?" Paine asked him.

He stopped and looked at her. "I dunno. Got any ideas, Paine?"

She smirked and folded her arms across her chest as she walked past him. "I think I know just the place…"

Gippal smiled and turned to us. "You heard the lady. Let's go!"

We followed Paine trough Luca's packed streets, until we arrived to the beach. There was a paved avenue that was parallel to the sea, but instead of traffic, it was jammed with people dancing and laughing and having a good time. Apparently, the most popular clubs around, as well as the most trendy shops, were in that avenue.

"Callis!" Gippal exclaimed "I never thought you'd bring us to Callis Avenue. Don't you think it's a little too preppy for your likes?"

Paine just glared at him and continued her way. We followed, looking everywhere as if we were trying to take in the whole city with just one glance. Music could be heard from the clubs as we were moving further into the crowd and sometimes we met an occasional street seller trying to convince us to buy their products. There were also some outdoor cafés and we even came across an arcade. As far as I could see, that avenue had almost everything.

Paine laughed when I voiced out my thoughts. We were walking side by side, the rest of the gang behind us. "Yeah, it has pretty much everything one needs." she said "That's why it's the most popular avenue in all Luca, a must-see for tourists like you guys."

"Then, I'm glad you brought us here." I smiled.

We stopped briefly to discuss where we were going next and Gippal, Nooj and Baralai agreed that _Ifrit's Flame_ was a good place to go, since it was their favourite club during their high school years. Paine just nodded her agreement, letting them take the lead for now.

We reached the club shortly after and I realized that the frontage had been carefully decorated to match the name the club had been given. Above the double doors, there was a huge ― and fake ― head of an Ifrit. Its big black horns were pointing out and from its open mouth came a blast of red and yellow flames of neon, lighting up every five seconds or so… I thought it was a really good way to call people's attentions to the club ― that head was impossible to miss. I looked up and then let my mind wonder ― had the aeons really been like that? Had they really existed? According to History and Religion books, the aeons had been powerful creatures that had existed many years in the past and that had helped the summoners in their mighty quests to bring peace back to Spira. Of course the books diverged on one point ― History said that the aeons were nothing but myth invented by priests and maesters to keep people believing in some superior power, whilst Religion said the aeons were real and that they still existed somewhere, but since there were no longer summoners to call them, they remained asleep in a world no human could ever enter. Despite all this, the fact was that the aeons had become very popular when it came to choose the name to a new club, and so now we had clubs like _Valefor's flight_, _Shiva's_, _Fallen Aeons_, back in Besaid, _Ifrit's Flame_, in Luca, amongst others spread all over Spira.

Inside, the club was decorated in a very modern way. The red and yellow lights made some strange effects on the black walls and the music was loud enough to bee heard over the conversations between the many people there. We crossed almost all of the club's length before we found ourselves a vacant table where we could seat down for a drink. The problem was that the tables were meant only for four or five people and we were ten…

"It's not that big of a problem…" Gippal said, shrugging "I think no one here intents on staying seated for too long, so we can exchange places once in a while. Whatcha think?" We all agreed and he continued, turning to my cousin "It's settled then. Wanna dance, Cid's girl?"

She blinked in surprise and I had to contain my giggle. Apparently, Gippal wasn't going to let that same thing that had happened the last time we had gone clubbing happen now. And so he was just asking Rikku if she wanted to go dance with him…

"Yeah, sure." She shrugged, trying to act nonchalantly, and he smirked, holding out his hand to her. She took it and they both headed to the huge dance floor.

"See Noojie-Woojie," I heard from behind me, "even Gippal is more of a gentleman than you are. Why don't you ask me to dance too?" LeBlanc whined, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I was going to invite you now, my dear…" Nooj tried to calm down his girlfriend, but she was pouting at him.

Paine, who was right in front of me, rolled her eyes and I couldn't suppress my laughter so I turned around so they wouldn't see my face. The moment I turned, though, all my laughter died in my throat. Before my eyes, Tidus was dancing with Dona, right there and then, not even caring in going to the dance floor like everyone else. Okay, they were just a little apart from us, but still… He had his hands on her waist and her arms encircled his neck and even though they were keeping a certain distance from each other, no one would tell they'd been fighting earlier that evening. She said something to him and he answered back, lifting his eyes for a brief moment… and finding mine staring at him earnestly. His eyes softened when they met mine and he smiled at me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to return the smile and I just turned away.

Paine was already seated at the table and Barthello, to my surprise, sat beside her, his quiet mood always present ― I think I hadn't even heard him speak so far… Nooj and LeBlanc were nowhere to be seen, so I supposed they had gone dancing like Rikku and Gippal.

"Where's Baralai?" I asked, sitting next to Paine.

"He went off to get us some drinks." She said simply.

"Oh Yevon, you and the drinks!" I sighed, thinking of the last time I had seen those two drinking together. It was almost like they were competing or something ― they didn't drink two or three beers, cocktails whatever it was… No they drank seven or eight, maybe even more. I still don't understand how they never got drunk.

She smirked. "To tell you the truth, Baralai and me get along a lot better when we drink. It has always been like that…" she added, with an almost unnoticeable bitterness in her voice.

"Okay… Look, I can't stand being here looking at Mr. and Mrs. Perfect Couple, so I'm gonna dance a little, okay?"

"Sure. But don't you wanna have a drink first?" Paine asked, as Baralai arrived with a tray full of glasses with colourful liquors inside.

"Hey, Yuna, if I were you I'd have this one." He said, pointing at one of the glasses "It's not as strong as the others. I brought it for you, actually…"

"That's so sweet of you, Baralai."

"Actually it was Paine who told me too…" he added, a little bit embarrassed.

I gazed at Paine and she smirked. "I thought you wouldn't be able to stand Mrs. Perfect all night long, so…"

I smiled at her and took the drink, swallowing it down at once. In fact, if the alcohol could help me relax, it would be great. And I knew Paine would never allow me to get too drunk, so I could count on her to choose the drinks for me. I thanked her and set off to the dance floor, swaying my hips to the sound of the music.

Shortly after I'd arrived at the dance floor, I saw Gippal and Rikku dancing together. And if I thought Rikku was a good dancer all by herself, with Gippal she was even better. The fluidness of movements, the chemistry between them, the closeness of their bodies… Yup, they were really meant for each other, anyone could see that. _Anyone except them_, I added in my mind.

I kept dancing all by myself, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned, not knowing who I would find, just to find none other than Tidus himself. I frowned deeply, not understanding what he was doing in front of me.

"Wanna dance?" he smiled hesitantly.

"Weren't you dancing with Dona?" I asked, sounding colder than I would've liked to.

"I'm not now." He said back.

"I can see that, but―"

"C'mon, Yuna, just a yes or a no, it's not that hard…" he sighed in exasperation "Let's start again. I wanna dance with you. Do you―"

"Okay." I said sharply, interrupting him. Why had I said that?

He smiled again and took a step forward, approaching me. Out of instinct, I took one step back.

He frowned. "If you get away from me, we won't be able to dance."

I took a deep breath and blinked a few times, before saying "You're right, I'm sorry… You're right."

_It's just a stupid dance, Yuna. You said you'd give him a chance as a friend, didn't you? So bear with it._

He took another step forward, but this time I didn't move. I felt him place his hands around my waist hesitantly, like he was touching a crystal and he was afraid it would break if he held it too tightly. I remained frozen in place.

I felt his hot breath on my ear when he softly spoke. "You don't wanna do this, Yuna."

"What?" I asked in the same tone.

"Dancing with me… You don't want it."

_Yes I do! I do want it so much it is almost painful…_ "No, I don't."

"Why?" He had leaned back so he could look at me in the eye.

"Because… because I can't dance with you like this, like…"

"Like what?"

_Like friends and not lovers…_ "Like…"

"Tidus."

We both turned at the sound of that voice. It was Dona.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"Yes."

"No."

Tidus looked at me. "Yuna, I thought we were talking."

I shook my head. "Our conversation is over for now. And I think I should go sit down for a bit ― I'm starting to feel tired of dancing."

"Good." Dona said coolly ― I think she was learning how to control herself. "That way, Tidus and I can dance."

"He's all yours." I patted Tidus arm before turning on my heels and starting to get away from them.

I sill hadn't got out of the dance floor when I heard a girl saying to her friends "You have no idea who I just saw! Tidus, the famous blitzball player!"

All the girls in the group squealed excitedly and then headed to the dance floor, to see with their own eyes. I smirked inwardly. After all, Tidus wouldn't be all Dona's for long…

I got to the table and met Barthello all alone. I sat by his side and smiled at him "Don't you dance?"

He looked at me like that was a crazy idea. "My job is to protect Dona, not dance."

"Well, yeah, but Dona's having a good time and you're here all by yourself. It's not like she's in danger or anything, so why don't you go and have fun too?"

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I'm on duty. And I'm not supposed to have fun while on duty. Just make sure Dona doesn't get hurt."

"I think she has better chances of hurting others than the way around, but it's okay… So, besides protecting Dona, what else do you do, Barthello?" I asked, trying to go another way.

He shrugged. "I do a lot of things. I carry the bags for Dona, I drive her to where she needs to go, I help her on her studies…"

Oh god, that guy's life revolved around Dona! That was so weird!

I was relieved when finally Paine and Baralai came back. Apparently they had just gone to the bar to get more drinks. Yevon, I was surrounded by weird people! They placed the drinks on the table and Paine handed me one with a smirk. I accepted it just like I had done with the other and sipped it slowly, unlike the last one. Before sitting down Paine glanced at Barthello and arched her eyebrows, but she didn't say anything and ended up taking the seat in front of me. Baralai, on the other hand, didn't sit with us.

"I'll be right back." He smiled, heading in the restrooms direction.

Paine just nodded and sipped her own drink. After a couple of minutes of silence, a very handsome guy approached our table. His silky black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and his grey eyes had a mischievous glint when he addressed Paine.

"Paine… I didn't think I'd find you here." He said, winking at her.

Paine looked the guy up and down with an undisturbed look on her ruby eyes. "I don't understand why it surprises you, Aleph. I told you I was in Luca with some friends."

So that guy was Aleph, Paine's friend. But somehow they didn't seem as close as I had imagined them. When she had told me he was a good friend of hers, I had thought he was like one of her best friends, like Gippal or Nooj, but now I realized he wasn't. Paine was being reserved as always, but she was also keeping a certain distance. I don't really know how to explain ― I guess it was just something I could feel…

"Yeah, you told me that…" he glanced at me and Barthello, but his eyes quickly returned to Paine. "So, can I sit down or what?"

"Or what." She retorted, taking another sip of her drink. How many drinks had she already taken? I had no idea, but she was still complete unfazed by it. "Can't you see I have company, Aleph?"

"I thought you would enjoy mine more, but fine. Do you wanna go to my place after this?" he asked, leaning in over the table to be face to face with her, his lips twisting in a playful smile.

"What part of 'I'm with some friends' didn't you understand?" Paine asked back, remaining as calm and collected as always. "I'm not going anywhere with you, Aleph, because I'm with them. This is supposed to be a group thing and I'm not the one who's gonna mess it up."

"Yeah, right, you always find time for your so-called friends, Paine. But what 'bout me? You never find time for me!"

Aleph was raising his voice and I noticed Paine was beginning to get irritated, which was definitely not a good thing. "Keep your voice down, Aleph." She told him crossing her arms.

"Not this time, Paine. I'm not your toy! If you think the only things I'm good at are sex and making Baralai jealous you're―"

He never had the chance to finish that sentence for the next thing he knew Paine's fist was colliding with his jaw and he was on the floor, wiping the tiny drops of blood that were trailing down his chin. I looked up at her, standing there, her fists clenched and her eyes bright with contained fury.

Aleph stood up, more surprised than angry at her. "What―?"

"Go away, Aleph. Just go."

"What's happening here?" Baralai's deep voice made us turn and gaze at him. His gaze travelled from Aleph to Paine and back and he looked tense and quite upset.

Maybe I was the only one to notice, because I was the one who was closest to Paine, that she opened her hands and closed them again, before speaking again. "Nothing's happening, Baralai." She said, averting his eyes "Aleph was just leaving."

Baralai looked doubtful but didn't say anything. As for Aleph, he just shook his head and said, before turning and leaving "I hope Baralai's more patient than I am, Paine, or you'll end up all alone…"

"What did he mean by that?" Baralai asked, coming closer to us and standing in front of Paine.

"It's none of your business. I'm out of here." She snapped back, walking past him and disappearing into the crowd.

Baralai's eyes met mine, but I had no idea of what to think about what I had just seen, so I was unable to give an answer to those questioning brown eyes of his. I was still shocked about the whole thing; I had never seen Paine acting like that, I had never understood so much and so little about my friends' life…

Baralai sat in the chair beside me and tilted his head back, closing his eyes. I could imagine the thoughts that were running through his mind that very minute. "Did he deserve it?" That was the only question he verbalized, almost whispering it.

"Yeah, he was pushing his luck. He was gonna say something that… Well, he had no right to say such a thing."

"What was he gonna say?"

I hesitated. "It was something very personal."

He nodded. "I never liked the guy."

"Because of Paine?" For a moment I regretted asking that. "Sorry, I don't mean to―"

"It's okay, Yuna." Baralai said with a smile "Yes, because of Paine, but not just because of her. Because of a lot of things…"

"Hey, guys!" Rikku screamed and waved as she and Gippal made their way back to the table, Tidus and Dona right behind.

"So, Rikku, are you having fun?" I asked, trying to smile at her.

"Tons of it!" she glanced sideways at Gippal, who was looking back at her, making her blush slightly.

As for Tidus, he was still being persecuted by his crazy fans, and I could tell Dona wasn't enjoying the situation. Only when she turned to yell something at Barthello did I remember his presence and that he had seen everything between Paine and Aleph. But strangely enough, the guy didn't seem the kind of guy who told everything to everyone, so…

"I'm glad you're having fun, Riks."

"What 'bout you, Yunie?"

"I think it's time for me to return to the hotel. I'm getting tired; we've been here for nearly four hours now…" I answered honestly.

"Can I go with you, Yuna?" Tidus asked all of a sudden. "I'm sick and tired of all these people after me…"

It would be rude of me to say 'no', so I nodded in response. Of course I must've been crazy to think and believe that Dona would leave Tidus all alone with me. Telling us that she was really tired too, she told us she was coming with us ― oh Yevon, that girl had a nerve; she never asked anything, she just said it would be the way she wanted it to be… and it usually was. And so, my return to the hotel was even 'better' than my night ― Tidus, Dona, Barthello and I, with nothing to say to each another, making a silent way back through the crowded and vivid Luca streets.

* * *

A/N: So, what did you guys think? I'd really like to know and you'd make me very, very happy if you just clicked the review button for once… It doesn't take that long…

Anyways, for the ones who did review last time:

**Duderman:** I'm sorry I didn't update when I said I would, but I hadn't finished the chapter yet and then I went out for the weekend and so… Anyways, thank you for waiting and I'm glad you like it. And I hope that by reading this chapter you'll get some ideas of why I can't kill Baralai… ;-)

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** This isn't as soon as I wished to, but… Well, I'm so happy you liked the last chapter, I hope you like this one too.

**kirytawuv:** Yeah, I'm not really fond of her either, and Yuna certainly isn't, but she's there and we have to deal with her… And don't worry, I will continue writing this story, at least as long as you keep reading it. ;-)

**tidusXyuna637:** Glad you liked last chapter, I really hope you like this one too. And thanks for reviewing…

**Schwarz Stein: **Yes, I agree with you, but if I made a happy story, with lots of love and happy things, no one would like to read it because no one would think it was real… Sad things happen everyday, and it's up to us to make the best out of every situation. Tidus and Yuna were a happy couple, but like every other couple they had some problems. Unfortunately, their relation didn't seem to work, so they broke up. It doesn't mean, though, that they don't have feelings for each other anymore. And it certainly doesn't mean that they're not going to try and work it out… Anyways, if you don't like it, you're not forced to read it. It's up to you. But thanks for reviewing anyway, I appreciate it.

Well, guys, I'm off now, I'm going to celebrate… I'll see you soon.


	17. Chapter 16: Games and romance

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back ― under a new pen name, but hey, it's still me! ;-)

I know this chapter took a little longer to write, but my life's been really complicated these days (in a good way, though). Anyways, I haven't had much time to write, so… I'm sorry to keep you waiting and thank you for still being around to read this… I hope you like this chapter; I've certainly liked to write it ;-)

* * *

_**Chapter 16**_

_**Games and romance**_

"Rikku…" I called her, nudging her shoulder. She groaned softly and turned to the other side, covering her head with the blankets.

"She won't wake up like that, Yuna." Paine told me from her side of the room, continuing to fold her clothes.

I sighed and nodded my head in agreement. I had no idea at what time Rikku had arrived at the hotel the night before, for I had already been asleep and I hadn't woken up with her arrival, but I assumed it must've been really late because she was usually one of the first to wake up and today it was being hell trying to get her to open her eyes. I tried once again.

"Give it up, Yuna." Paine said, approaching me. "I don't think she would wake up even if Spira was about to be destroyed right now…"

I looked at her. "Yeah, but that only makes me wonder how much she drank last night… You know Rikku's not used to drink like you do."

She averted my gaze and I regretted what I had said, for what had happened last night was still really fresh on our minds. We hadn't discussed it and Paine didn't seem eager to explain anything, so I was doing what I always did and I wouldn't ask any questions ― when Paine was ready, she would tell me. Even so, I was really curious to know what had that been all about…

"Let me try." She said simply. I took a step back and watched as she bent down and got closer to my cousin's ear. Then she yelled "Gippal's coming here completely naked!"

I had to laugh when Rikku almost jumped from the bed, startled by the scream and not only by that… When she landed again in the middle of the blankets, she looked around, still confused. I almost felt sorry for her ― poor girl, being woken up like that. When she finally began to think coherently once again, she glared at Paine, who was smirking down at her.

"You meanie!"

"You woke up, didn't you?" Paine retorted, turning around and walking away to her own bed.

Rikku then looked at me and was about to say something when someone knocked on the door. "I got it!" I said, almost running towards the door and opening it. "Gippal!"

"Hi, Yuna."

He wasn't naked like Paine had said, but he was wearing white and blue trunks and a blue t-shirt with a huge 'F.B.I.' on it. I had to smirk when I saw what was written in white letters below that. "Female Body Inspector?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yup, that's me." he smiled broadly.

"Sure… Come on in." I stepped aside and he walked in, saying hello to the girls, and when Rikku saw him her eyes grew wide in disbelief and she pulled the covers over her head before anyone could see how red she had turned.

"What's up with you, Cid's girl?" Gippal asked, frowning.

"Nothing." She said from beneath the sheets. "I'm just… sleeping, that's all."

Gippal laughed. "Well, I'm sorry to spoil your beauty sleep, princess, but we got plans for this morning, so…" He approached her bed and pulled the sheets away from her, uncovering her. "There's no time for sleepers, you sleepyhead!"

"I'm not a sleepyhead!" she said, pouting.

"Can you two stop already?" Paine asked. Then she turned to Gippal "What plans are you talking about?"

"Well, since we can't go to the beach because it started raining a while ago, we were thinking about enjoying the swimming pool. Then we'd lunch and in the afternoon we could make a tour and visit all the important spots for tourists…"

"I think it's a good idea." I smiled "Swimming is always good!"

Paine smirked "Does this hotel have a gym? I really wanted to work out a little…"

"Work out or let out your anger, Dr. P?" Gippal teased her. "According to what I've heard, last night you were quite aggressive…"

Paine's expression fell and was replaced by a cold stone glare. "Who told you?"

"What happened last night?" Rikku asked excitedly.

"It seems that our friend Paine here punched a guy, isn't it? And not just any guy… We're talking about Aleph here."

"Gippal…" I tried to call him and to warn him to be quiet, but he just ignored me.

"Did you really, Paine?" Rikku wasn't sleepy anymore; her eyes glistened and she was anticipating all the juicy details of the story.

"Yes, I did. But it's none of your business, Gippal." She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

He held up his hands in a defence gesture. "Okay, okay, I won't say another word about it. In fact, I'm outta here now. We'll meet in the lobby in thirty minutes, okay?"

And he left the room before Paine would lose her temper again and punch him this time.

"What happened between you and Aleph?" Rikku continued her list of unwanted and indiscreet questions. "Wait! Is he important in the first place?"

"He's just an old boyfriend of mine." Paine answered with a sigh "We dated during high school and now we still saw each other once in a while. That's it, end of story."

Rikku beamed with excitement. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"You never asked."

"I'm asking now."There was a short silence and Rikku continued, her smile fading a little "You don't wanna tell us."

"Bingo! I'll be in the gym if you need me, okay? See ya."

After saying that, Paine just grabbed her keys and left the room, leaving me and Rikku alone. I looked at my cousin and she was looking back at me with curiosity stamped in her big green eyes. "What?" I asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

"What happened last night?"

I sighed. I wasn't wrong.

-----XX-----

"What are we waiting for?" Rikku asked for the hundredth time, yawning as she leaned against one of the atrium's columns. I could tell she was still very sleepy and that she would've stayed in bed if she could…

We were all in the lobby, as Gippal had told us to, and, except for Paine, who was in the gym 'working out' or, as I would say, releasing her energies (I'd gone there and I'd found her kicking and punching like a professional boxer ― I guess I now know how she was able to bring Aleph down), Gippal was the only one missing. He'd been the first there, along with Tidus and Baralai, but after noticing that many people were still getting ready ― Rikku amongst them ― he'd disappeared and hadn't shown up yet.

"You're all waiting for me!" Gippal's voice suddenly said from behind my cousin, making her almost jump.

"Gippal, you zang (jerk)!" she exclaimed, turning around "You startled me!"

He grinned widely. "Yup, I know. It was fun."

Rikku was going to say something else, but I was faster. "Where did ya go?"

He kept his smirk plastered on his face as he showed me what he was holding in his hands ― a blitzball. Oh, no! He couldn't possibly be thinking about playing, could he? Looking in his bright eye, I knew the answer to my question… Not only was he thinking about playing, he also planned on doing it with the rest of us. I sighed heavily…

Suddenly, he threw the ball in Tidus' direction. Tidus, being the excellent blitzer he is, caught the ball almost out of instinct for he had been chatting with Baralai, not really paying much attention to us. He looked at the ball in his hands and then up at Gippal. "You sure you wanna play against me?" he asked with a smirk, cocking his head.

Gippal crossed his arms. "I thought it could be fun…"

I rolled my eyes at their little demonstration of testosterone. Guys! They'd never change, always trying to prove they're better than anyone else, always trying to show off…

We headed to the room where the swimming pool was located. The space was simply enormous and, to my surprise, there wasn't just one pool but several, some larger and deeper, others smaller and… well, less deep. Gippal talked to a girl in a white bikini and a minute later we were all settled in one of the deepest pools… Dona didn't want to get her hair wet and so she just laid on one of the long chairs that were spread about the room, Barthello standing silently behind her and LeBlanc lying on the chair next to her. Apparently they had grown fond of each other and they spent a lot of time together now. It didn't surprise me, though ― Dona and LeBlanc had a lot of things in common and on top of that they were both shallow and futile, so… they had to get along just fine, didn't they?

I was thinking about this while I was stripping from my clothes, so I could get in the water. Suddenly, Gippal's voice filled my ears, waking me from my thoughts. "I don't want Cid's girl on my team! She's a lousy player!"

"I'm what, Gippal?" Rikku asked angrily, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him.

"You heard me…" he started to say, but Tidus interrupted him.

"Okay, Gippal, in that case, Rikku's mine, you stay with Yuna."

I'd been distracted and only then did I realize they were talking about who was going to play against who. I turned sharply around, looking at them with eyes wide open. "But I…" I began to say, but Gippal and Tidus were already jumping into the pool, splashing everything around. When their heads surfaced again, I started once again "I don't want to play, guys. I just want to rest a little…"

Gippal waved off my comment. "C'mon, Yuna, without you we'll be short by one, we need ya."

"Yeah, Yunie." Rikku added "It'll be fun."

I groaned and looked at them, one at a time. When my eyes met Tidus', he swam to the edge of the pool and rested his arms on the cold stone, his gaze never leaving mine. With a finger, he motioned me to approach him and involuntarily I took a step forward. "You don't have to play if you don't want to." He started, his voice almost a whisper "But we'd love if you played with us, even if for a short time…"

Oh Yevon, how could I say 'no' after that? They were all counting on me and he… well, he probably was just doing his part and playing a little game of his own with my mind. The only problem was it was working and I was beginning to lose my resolve… I was feeling like I could no longer say 'no' to him ― that is if I had ever been able to do it before, which I was starting to doubt. I sighed in defeat and dived into the water, trying to clear my foggy mind and realize what was happening to me. Lately everything had been so weird every time he was near me…

"Does that mean you're going to play?" Rikku asked, as soon as I emerged.

"I guess so… But it's not for long!" I added as I saw my cousin's beaming face.

Gippal swam in my direction and gave me a high-five, passing me the ball at the same time. "Well, since the lady here is in a hurry, we might as well begin to play. Nooj is ours, Yuna, and you're gonna go for the blitz off."

"What?" I asked, not believing I would be the one to initiate the game. Gippal just nodded and I realized I had no other choice, since Rikku was already positioning herself in the centre of the pool. I swam in her direction and asked her "Do you wanna throw the ball up?"

"Nah, you can do it." She smirked, and prepared herself to jump.

From the other side of the pool, Tidus yelled "Blitz off!" and I threw the ball up. Rikku jumped before I did, but I had the advantage of being taller so I claimed the ball easily, throwing it at Gippal.

"Poopie." My cousin complained, falling in the water again.

"Don't worry, Riks, after all, you're teaming up with Tidus…" I tried to cheer her up, before swimming in the other direction.

The game continued for a few minutes. Even though Tidus was a champion when it came to Blitzball, he hadn't been very lucky with his partners. Gippal was right, Rikku was a lousy player, especially because she couldn't hold her breath for long, and Baralai wasn't much better, so Tidus had to do all the work by himself. As for my team, we weren't that bad ― although Gippal had never played pro, he loved Blitzball and played it anytime he could, and Nooj had fast moves and was strong, two good qualities in any blitzer. And me… well, Tidus had taught me a few things before leaving for Zanarkand and I was finally putting them into use…

The score was 3-3 now, Tidus being the one to score every goal in his team. We had scored first, but every time we managed to get through them to achieve a goal, it seemed Tidus could do the same, keeping the score even until now.

The ball was theirs. Tidus had gained it and had passed it to Baralai who was being chased by Nooj around the pool. Feeling trapped, he clumsily threw the ball in Rikku's direction, but Gippal was faster and grabbed it with both hands, sending it to me next. I caught it and started swimming away from the others until I felt two arms slipping around my waist, stopping me from continuing my way. Those same arms pulled me against a bare torso and I didn't need to turn around to know to whom it belonged. Hadn't I been underwater and I would've inhaled sharply, but somehow I managed to control myself, as his hand slid down my side, gently caressing my hip and finally my thigh. My heart began to pound against my chest, as I felt his mouth on my neck, slowly pecking me. His fingertips began their way up and even though they were barely touching me I felt them intensely, tickling me and waking sleeping emotions deep within me.

I couldn't hold it any longer and I opened my mouth and let out the air in my lungs, dropping the ball in the process. Tidus let go of me almost instantly and grabbed the ball, swimming in the opposite direction and scoring the final goal, winning the game. I didn't see it, though, for I had surfaced, gasping for fresh air, still disturbed by what had happened under the water.

Gippal swam towards me. "How come did you lose the ball?" He asked, trying to remain calm. I knew he didn't want to blame me for losing the game, but he was upset with it and it had been somewhat my fault, so…

"I… I…" I didn't want to tell him what Tidus had done to me, firstly because I didn't want to admit it had been because of that and secondly because, even if it was just a friendly game, I doubted they would allow it and they'd probably just start arguing and spoil all the fun everyone was having. So I shut my mouth.

"It was me, Gippal…" Tidus said, approaching us. A little smile played on his lips and I didn't know if it was because he had won the game or if it was because he had realized he still affected me somehow. "I was the one who took the ball away from Yuna. She was too focused in swimming and winning and it was not difficult to steal the ball from her… But it's not her fault, really. She couldn't have guessed I was coming from behind her."

It was partly true and, when Gippal looked at me again, I nodded my agreement. It was better than to have to confess I had been lured by Tidus' touch.

"Well, in that case, congratulations." He extended his hand in Tidus direction "You really are an excellent blitzer."

Tidus smiled at Gippal and took his hand. "I can say the same 'bout you. For a moment there I though we weren't going to win. Your team rocked!"

Gippal and Nooj thanked him, but I remained silent. I didn't even know if I wanted to talk to him ever again ― after the way he had used me to win a silly game, I didn't know if I wanted to… _Oh, c'mon what are ya saying, Yuna? Don't be silly, he just did what he had to do to win the game, you were the one stupid enough to fall for it…_

"Hey, what 'bout us?" Rikku complained.

"You, Cid's girl, _are_ a lousy player." Gippal retorted with a superior look.

Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment and she glared at him, starting to chase him around and finally trapping him in one corner of the pool. He tried to dodge her and go through her right but she grabbed his wrists and slammed him against the border of the pool.

"Who's lousy, now?" she asked with a devious smile.

He smirked. "I knew you'd come onto me sooner or later, Cid's girl, but I must say… I prefer it this way." And with that he twisted his arms and grabbed her wrists, forcing her to dive with him, resurfacing again ― this time, she was the one who was cornered between him and the stone wall. "Like I was saying," he continued, "you are a lousy player…"

"Poopie." She whined, closing her eyes in defeat.

His smirk widened and he got closer to her, bending his head forward. It was almost as if he was going to kiss her ― and I think he probably was, if Nooj hadn't called him. "Gippal, c'mon, stop picking on her! She just won the game, let her enjoy her victory!"

Gippal turned abruptly, like he had been caught doing something he shouldn't, and released Rikku, who stayed motionless for a few instants, maybe trying to understand what had just happened between her and the other Al Bhed. Then they just swam back towards us, acting as if nothing had gone on with them.

We stayed in the pool for another hour or so, playing around, racing each other, or just relaxing in the water. Finally, it was lunch time and we all got ready to leave. Dona and LeBlanc had already gone to their room to get ready for the afternoon and Barthello had just followed Dona like he always did.

"Guys, let's not forget…" Gippal repeated again, drying his hair with a white towel. "This afternoon we're going to do a tour around the city. The bus leaves the hotel in two and a half hours so you can go and grab some lunch until then. Any questions, I got my cell-phone with me and… well, I'll be at the restaurant so..."

"Yeah, Gippal, don't worry, if we need ya, we'll find ya." Baralai said, punching him playfully in the arm.

"Aren't you comin', Yunie?" Rikku asked me, while she passed her top over her head.

I swam until I reached the edge of the pool. "I think I'll stay a little longer. I need to think a little and I'm not that hungry anyway."

"Okay," she shrugged, "just don't lose yourself in thinking…"

"I won't." I waved them goodbye and watched as they all left the room, Gippal and Rikku arguing as usual. The tension between the two of them was increasing and I was expecting it to explode anytime now ― they could no longer ignore the intense attraction that bond them together. Even a blind person could see they were meant to be… Only their stubbornness kept them apart. I sighed and fell back into the water. When I emerged again, my eyes fell upon a familiar figure and I realized I was not alone. "What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised.

"The same as you." Tidus responded, standing up from the chair he had been sitting on and walking to the edge of the swimming pool. Raising his arms above his head, he dived and swam under water until he reached me. He then came up, resurfacing next to me. "Wanna swim together?"

"Not actually, no." I answered coolly.

"You're still mad because of what I did during the game, aren't you?" he asked, looking at me straight in the eye. I hated when he did that, when he read my mind like it was an open book; and I hated when he looked at me like that, with those big blue eyes begging for me to forgive him…

"You shouldn't have used me like that." I replied, averting his gaze. I couldn't let him know everything I had felt. "You disturbed me under water and you can't do that in a real game…"

"I know, and I'm sorry. It's just that I…" He shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "Well, I guess I didn't even think about what I was doing, I acted out of instinct 'cause I knew how you―"

"You shouldn't have done it anyway." I interrupted him. I knew what he was going to say and I didn't want him to say it, so it was better for me just to cut him off. He just knew me and my body too well, but that didn't give him the right to brag about it.

"You're right, sorry…" He bent his head, but then he suddenly held it up again, as if another thought had occurred to him. Finding my gaze, he held it as he said "But it seemed as if you were enjoying what I was doing…"

"What?" I felt my cheeks warming and I knew I was blushing as I stared at him, mouth open in disbelief. He hadn't just said what he had said, right?

"You heard me…" He got a little closer and I swam backwards, trying to get away from him. I hadn't realized I was so close to the pool wall, though, and soon enough I was with my back flat against the stone, Tidus right in front of me. "Why do you keep running from me, Yuna?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm not running from you…" I stammered. I was feeling really uncomfortable right now.

"Yes, you are!" He said, moving his arms to show his frustration. "Back in Besaid you'd been avoiding me, and then yesterday you went into my room and then you ran away, and last night you didn't want to dance with me and…" He trailed off, stopping and looking at me again. "Why are you running from me?"

I didn't answer his question. What could I say to him? Not even _I_ knew why I was so afraid to stay around him… Or maybe I knew and I didn't want to admit it; maybe I just didn't want to admit that my feelings for him weren't completely gone and that I was afraid I might fall again if I stayed too close…

As if my silence was a sign, he got closer to me, one of his hands finding its way to my shoulder and resting there, his thumb softly caressing my skin. "I don't want you to run away, Yuna." He whispered.

I closed my eyes and breathed in and out, trying to find my voice. "I don't want to be around you too much…" I ended up saying, keeping my eyes closed.

"Why?" I could almost feel the pain in his words. Why was he suffering so much with this situation? Supposedly he should be the one unfazed by it; after all now he was a famous superstar who could have any girl he wanted…

"Because I don't."

The silence that followed was threatening to become unbearable and I opened my eyes, if only to see what he was going to do next. He was just standing there, looking at me like he was seeing me for the first time. Then his hands cupped my face and he leaned forward, closing his eyes in the process. I knew what was going to happen next, but I seemed to be frozen and unable to prevent it. Our lips were mere inches apart when I finally put my palms flat on his chest.

"Tidus, stop…" I whispered.

"Shh, it's okay…" He whispered back.

His lips were now brushing against mine, one of his hands behind my head and the other one running up and down my back, pulling me closer to him. It just felt so good that all I wanted to do was give in to the kiss that was about to become true, all I wanted was to feel loved and cherished again. Only when he added more pressure to the soft contact did I realize what was happening ― I was kissing Tidus… well, _he_ was kissing _me_, but that didn't matter at the time, what mattered was that we were kissing and I had promised myself I would never do it again, I would never fall for him again… So, I had only one choice ― I pushed him forcefully away from me. "Stop!"

He opened his eyes as soon as the contact was broken, blinking twice to try and understand what had gone wrong. "Yuna…"

But I didn't give him a chance to say anything else, for I turned around, climbed out of the pool, grabbed my stuff and left, leaving a very confused Tidus behind…

-----XX-----

The rest of the day had been relatively calm in terms of emotions when compared to the morning. Paine had joined the rest of us for lunch, Rikku and Gippal had calmed down their arguments and Dona wasn't picking on anyone (thanked be Yevon). Tidus and I hadn't exchanged one single word since the pool's episode and I was happy just the way things were going ― as long as he didn't come asking for explanations, I would just act as if nothing had happened… not talking to him in the meanwhile; after all, I had to show him that I was mad with him, hadn't I?

We'd gone on a tour around the city and I'd realized Besaid was indeed a small town when compared to larger cities like Zanarkand, Bevelle or even Luca. Next to them, Besaid looked just like a tiny village or something like that… Still, it was my beloved Besaid and I wouldn't trade it for any other city, not even Bevelle, my hometown.

We'd just been in the Luca Theatre and now we were near the Benegas Gardens, waiting for the bus to come and pick us up. Rikku, who was sitting on a wooden bench next to me, started complaining she was hungry. We were all tired and there wasn't much patience to listen to her so I tried to solve the situation the best I could ― I offered her a bubblegum to keep her stomach working until we could get to the hotel.

"Thank you SO much, Yunie! I was starving here!" she said dramatically, while I searched in my bag for the bubblegum packet.

"Hey, Yuna," Gippal approached me, "since you're being so sweet and handing out gums and all, you wouldn't happen to have one for me too, would you?"

I laughed. "Of course I do, Gippal. Look, here it is."

I gave the packet to Rikku and she opened it immediately, taking two gums from the inside. She then looked at Gippal, who was looking at the gums, and smiled evilly. "Oh, Yevon, there are only two! And I'm so hungry, I think I'll have both…"

"Oh no, Cid's girl!" Gippal made a dash for the gums, but she popped them both into her mouth before he had the chance to get to them, smiling as she chewed.

"You're so dead…" Gippal said, grabbing her by the arm and forcing her to stand. He opened the little sachet and confirmed what Rikku had said ― there were only two gums in the packet.

"What are you gonna do now? Take the gums from me?" She asked daringly, looking him in the eye.

"Are you daring me?"

She held her head up high. "Oac, E tyna oui (Yes, I dare you). What are you gonna do about that, huh?"

It was his turn to smirk. "I'm gonna do what I have to do." And with that said, he crashed his lips against hers, pulling her to him. She fought for a few instants, before her arms flew up around his neck, and what had started to be just a dispute turned into a passionate kiss that lasted for several moments, until they both ran out of air. When they broke the kiss, Rikku's face was flustered and Gippal's breathing was erratic, but they were both smiling, like that had been a thing they wanted to do for a long time now.

"Well, that was about time for you two to hook up, loves." LeBlanc said, leaning against Nooj. He smiled, passing an arm around her shoulders and nodded his agreement. Apparently, everyone had already noticed the feelings Rikku and Gippal had for each other.

Rikku's cheeks turned crimson, but Gippal smiled, pulling her to him and pressing a gentle kiss on her lips before pulling away again and releasing his grip on her. "The bus is here." He said with a smirk, walking to the vehicle. Before climbing in, though, he turned and yelled over to Rikku "I told you, Cid's girl, you're a lousy player…"

"Why do you say that?" LeBlanc asked, surprised.

Gippal smirked once more and stuck out his tongue to show everyone the white bubblegum in his mouth, turning around and disappearing inside the bus.

"Stupid Gippal!" Rikku groaned, rushing after him, maybe to make him take back what he had said.

We all laughed and started climbing one by one into the bus, taking our own seats. I was talking to Baralai, both of us agreeing on how Gippal and Rikku were perfect for each other, but both of us believing they would be a royal pain in the ass during the next few days.

"You're right," I said, looking at him over my shoulder "I don't know if I'd prefer them together or apart."

"Well, right now I don't think you really have a choice…" Baralai chuckled, pointing somewhere ahead of him.

I turned and understood at once what he was talking about. Rikku and I had seated together during all the tour, but now she was seated next to Gippal and they were whispering to each other… that is until Gippal pulled her into another kiss… I realized that I couldn't go there and ask her to come and sit with me again, so I just shook my head and started heading to my seat.

Suddenly I stopped, seeing Tidus seated on Rikku's place. I turned to Baralai again and pleaded "Please, please, Lai, sit next to me. Tell Tidus that you were sitting with Gippal and that now―"

"Yuna," he interrupted me, "I really think you and Tidus need to talk. You haven't spoken to each other since this morning. I understand that he probably shouldn't have tried to kiss you, but―"

"How do you know about that!" My eyes widened with shock.

Baralai sighed, realizing he had talked too much. "I saw you two. I'd forgotten a towel and I came back and I saw you two. You didn't see me, so I just left again. Sorry. But I really think you should talk to him." He added, his hands resting on my shoulders.

I looked at him again. "Why?" I whined.

"Because." He answered with a smile. "Now go."

"Okay." I turned and obediently walked over to my seat. "Excuse me, will you let me pass?" I asked Tidus, trying to keep my voice cool and collected.

"Sure." He sounded a little surprised, as if he didn't expect me to really come and sit next to him.

_So I can still surprise him… That's good._ I thought proudly, as I sat on the window side, looking out. I might have to sit next to him, but that didn't mean I had to talk to him.

"Yuna…"

_Oh, well, there goes my plan not to talk to him…_ I turned to face him. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry…"

I knew exactly what he was talking about and I didn't even pretend I wasn't following him. "I told you to stop." I said in a whisper.

"I know, but I thought…"

"You thought wrong." I held his gaze firmly. "Why did you do it?"

"Because… because I needed to know something…" he sighed, bending his head "I needed to see if you… if you still cared."

"If I still cared?" I asked surprised.

"Yes, if you still cared. I mean… coming back to Besaid and seeing you again… I… I don't know how to explain, but I…"

"Stop, Tidus." I asked him "I don't want to hear it. What happened between us was two years ago."

"I know, but what if―"

"No! Don't you understand ― it belongs to the past, just the past… I buried it all away when you left. _You_ left, remember?" I couldn't help the accusatory tone in my voice.

"But that didn't mean I didn't love you!" he said evenly "We always said 'come what may'… and I believed it. Until _you_ broke up with _me_… Remember that?"

I bent my head. Of course I remembered. How could I ever forget? Breaking up with him, by phone, was one of the worst things I had ever had to do… It was like cutting my air supply, the link to my happiness… I felt like my heart was breaking in pieces with every word I said. And his pain, it seemed so real… That was what hurt me the most.

"We could no longer be together…" I whispered, looking down at my hands, bangs of hair falling to my face and covering my eyes.

"You never told me why." His voice was cold, like he was trying to conceal the pain. Strangely he sounded just like Shuyin and for one instant that scared me. I never wanted Tidus to go through what Shuyin had gone through…

Tentatively, I looked at him and sighed inwardly with relief. His eyes, even clouded by the hurt, were filled with softness and gentleness, but also with sadness… A single tear rolled over my cheek and I reached out my hand to hold his own, drawing a pattern on his palm with my index finger. "I'm sorry."

He squeezed my hand in response and let out a sad smile. "Like you said, it's all in the past."

We remained quiet for a few moments, just holding hands. But I needed to make one more thing clear. "You know we can't go back, Tidus…"

He took his time before answering slowly "I guess I know."

"Things will never work out between us again…" I was almost expecting him to ask why, but he kept his silence "We're both different people now and our lives just aren't the same, so… just don't kiss me again, okay?"

Silence.

I turned my head to look at him. He had a peaceful look with his eyes closed and he was breathing steadily, as if he was asleep… Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't… All I know is that I never got an answer to my request.

-----XX-----

The atrium was calm when we returned to the hotel, for most of the tourists had gone out to have dinner or to enjoy the night life in Luca. It was one hour past nightfall. We were supposed to arrive at the hotel a couple of hours before, but the bus had had a few mechanical problems on the way back and we had to stop at a gas station for an eternity. Fortunately, the gas station had a restaurant and Rikku was able to get something to eat, as well as the rest of us who were starting to get hungry as well…

Apart from the forced stop, the trip was nice and quiet. After my conversation with Tidus, we had both fallen asleep, hand in hand… Then the bus had stopped and we had woken up, releasing our grip on each other. We'd gone to the restaurant and when we'd returned to the bus, Rikku had asked to sit next to me again, and so Tidus returned to his former seat… I found it strange that my cousin wanted to sit with me and not with Gippal and so I asked her during the journey to the hotel.

"Well, it's just that…" she started to explain "A while ago… I was supposed to come and sit here with you but… Gippal grabbed me and then… I ended up staying there but… this is my place."

"Why are you stuttering, Riks?" I asked her, knowing she wasn't telling me the whole truth.

"I'm not stuttering."

"What's wrong? C'mon, you know you can tell me…"

"N-nothing, really."

I frowned. "Okay… well, if you need to talk, you know you can count on me, don't you?" she nodded "Okay, that's what matters." I gave her a hug and she returned it, giving me a kiss on the cheek. She was definitely not acting like herself…

Finally we had arrived at the hotel, and everything was calm and quiet. We were going straight to the elevators to go to our rooms ― we had decided that later we would all meet in Gippal's room for a little private party (we had the drinks, we had the music, and we had the spirit…) ― when someone called my name. I turned around and saw it was a brunette receptionist, holding a phone in her hand.

"Miss Yuna," she called again. "Would you mind coming over here, please?"

"Wow, that's strange…" Gippal said in a low tone "What do you think she wants with you?"

"I have no idea." I answered him, while I started walking in the reception's direction. _But I'll find out…_

"I'm sorry I've called you from this far, Miss Yuna." the receptionist said when I approached her "It's just that I've got a message for you and it sounds really important, so I decided to call you. I'm sorry once again, but I―"

"It's okay." I was starting to get concerned and her babbling was starting to get on my nerves "Who's the message from?"

"Oh, it's from a boy who called you nine times this afternoon."

"What?"

"It's true, he tried to call you nine times, but he only left one message though. Would you wish to hear it?"

I sighed inwardly, trying to keep my patience. "Of course I do!"

She handed me the phone. "Then you must press this button, please."

I did as she said and, as soon as the message began, I immediately identified the voice on the other side. "Yuna, it's me, Shuyin. I need you… now. Please." That was what the message said, but that was all I needed to hear.

I gave the phone back to the receptionist and walked away. When I reached my friends, Rikku asked at once "What was it?"

"Shuyin tried to call me." I answered.

"What happened?" Tidus questioned, taking a step closer to me.

I looked at him. "I don't know, but he says he needs me, so I'm going. I'm sorry, guys, but I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

Nobody said anything, because everyone knew that nothing could change my mind.

* * *

A/N: So, what did you guys think? I know what you're probably thinking: "Damn, I thought Tidus and Yuna were going to make up in this chapter!" Well, they made up, somehow… Anyways, there's still plenty of story ahead, so we'll see… ;-)

And now, on with the "reviews corner":

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** Thanks for your review. It's good to know that at least some people like my story… Anyways, this was the soonest I could update, because now, with school and all, I'm having very little time to write. I have no idea when the next update is coming, but, hopefully, it'll be soon enough…

**kiritawuv:** Thank you for your support. I promise I'll keep writing this story until the end, don't you worry… :-)

**Duderman:** I'm sorry this update took so long. I have two things to tell you: firstly, yes, Paine has a lot of mystery in her past; I like complex characters and so I gave Paine a story of her own. But don't worry, everything will be revealed in its due time… Secondly, you didn't bother me at all with your e-mail; I appreciated it. It's true, I haven't been on msn, because I don't have time to, but everything's okay and nothing bad has happened. And don't stress, I'm not gonna give up on this story just because some people don't review. _You_ do review and that's important to me… Thank you.

**tidusXyuna637:** Yes, I do live in Portugal, Lisbon actually, but it's not that cool, believe me. But we do have a lot of sun, and that's good… ;-) Anyways, thanks for your review, hope you didn't grow tired of waiting for this chapter. And I hope you like it too…

**SarahCharrolette:** Don't worry, I will continue writing this story; I would never want to leave you "hanging and bored". And I'm glad my story got you interested, and I'm glad you reviewed… Thanks.

**bbychrangel:** Thank you for reviewing and thank you for loving the story. I try my best to keep it like the real life, because I think that the most interesting of all is to watch the characters acting differently in different situations and trying to solve their own problems and stuff… Anyways, hope you like this chapter too.

So, guys, I think that's all for today. I have no idea when the next chapter's coming out, so… I'll see you when I'll see you. ;-)


	18. Chapter 17: Requiescat in pace

A/N: So, people, here I am again… with another chappie for you! Hope you'll like it…

This chapter is dedicated to Crisyah. Thank you for being my beta reader, for all the inspiration and for the good advice. Luv ya, cous!

_**Chapter 17**_

"**_Requiescat in pace!"_**

Dark clouds painted the sky in grey when I climbed into Tidus' ship the next day, to fly back to Besaid. He had wanted to come with me, justifying it was his brother we were talking about, but I knew he would do me no good and I also knew Shuyin wouldn't even talk to him, so I had told him it was better for him to stay and enjoy the rest of the weekend in Luca. He had insisted and only when I had promised him I'd call him as soon as I had talked to Shuyin, telling him what was happening in Besaid, did he accept staying behind. Still a bit reluctant, he had called Auron and had asked him to send the ship to come and pick me up. And so, here I was now, at the entrance of the ship. I looked over my shoulder and waved one last time at my friends; I'd said goodbye to them the night before, but still, Paine, Baralai and Tidus had accompanied me and Rikku. Talking about my cousin… I gazed sideways in her direction. "Are you sure you wanna go with me, Riks?"

She snapped her head up, suddenly irritated "Yeah, I'm sure! Stop asking me that!"

I held my hands up in a defence gesture as we made our way to our seats. "Sorry. It's just that… you were the one who organized this trip and you were enjoying it so much…" I trailed off. "I'm sorry, I won't ask again, okay?"

She kept her gaze down, but I saw her former annoyance fading away. She remained silent, nevertheless, her arms folded stubbornly across her chest. We took our places and fastened our seatbelts, preparing ourselves for the ride. Moments later we were flying high above the deep blue ocean, heading back home.

Less than two and an half hours later we were landing on Besaid's airport. We hadn't talked much during the flight ― Rikku didn't want to uncover the reason why she had wanted to come with me and I was too worried about Shuyin to think about anything else, right now. I would talk to Rikku later, when she wouldn't be so stressed up and so irritated.

We got out of the airship and the pilot, who happened to be a cute zanarkadian guy, took our bags and handed them to us with a smirk. I thanked him absent-mindedly and his grin widened. "No problem at all, Lady Yuna."

_Lady?_ I blinked, surprised. No one had ever called me 'lady' before… _Whatever! It's probably just some zanarkadian habit or so…_

I smiled in response and thanked him one last time, before leaving to catch up with Rikku, who was already waiting by the car. I unlocked the vehicle and threw our bags into the back seat. Then I climbed behind the steering wheel and started the car, while Rikku sat on the front seat with me, sighing contently.

I glanced at her, asking carefully "Are you feeling better now that we're back in Besaid?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I thought you'd said you wouldn't ask me that anymore…"

"No, what I said was that I wouldn't ask you why you wanted to come with me. And I didn't ask you that, so…" I smirked at her and she was unable to resist and returned the smirk.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better now. It's just been a crazy weekend and I've been a little edgy later, that's all." She explained softly.

"Well, I thought that you'd be glad with the result of this weekend ― at least for you, it turned out pretty well, don't you think? After all, you and Gippal finally hooked up and―"

"Can we not talk about him right now?" She cut me off abruptly and suddenly I realized he was the reason why she had wanted to come with me.

Carefully, as not to scare her off or to make her explode on me, I said "Sure, if you don't want to talk about him… But did you guys argue or something? Everything seemed to be going on so well…"

She sighed again, leaning her head against the seat. "No, we didn't argue… That's the problem. We're always arguing, _always_, but it's always about things that aren't serious, ya know? Little things that don't matter at all… And now… well, I'm not even sure why he kissed me and it suddenly changes everything! I don't know how to act around him anymore and that scares me, 'cause I don't wanna lose what I had with him!"

"And so you thought it would be better if you just got away from him for awhile, right?" She nodded. "What did he say about this?"

"He didn't say anything 'cause I didn't tell him."

"You came back to Besaid without telling Gippal you were coming?" I was taken aback with my cousin's actions. What would Gippal think when he'd find it out? He'd be upset, no doubts on that, and everything would be harder for them when they saw each other again. "You should've told him, Rikku."

"I didn't know how." She whined "I've told you, I don't even know how to talk to him anymore! Should I treat him like a friend or as something more? And what are his feelings for me? I've seen Gippal with way too many girls to know for sure…"

She was insecure. It was the first time I saw my cousin insecure about anything ― she usually was the first one to jump into things, loving the rush and enjoying the moment, never thinking about tomorrow. Some would say she was reckless and imprudent, but I had gotten used to her way of living and I even admired her, wishing I had her courage to do a lot of things (like fleeing to Zanarkand with Tidus when I had the chance…). The only part I thought it was negative about Rikku's way of doing things was that she had never had anything that lasted for long ― except her friends and family; all her boyfriends, all her toys, they were all just for a few moments, a few months, and then she was ready for another completely different thing…

But now, for the first time, she was actually thinking twice before taking the first step and I realized that Gippal was more important to her than she wanted to admit. Rikku never got stuck with the same boy for long because she didn't want to commit, she never wanted a serious relationship, maybe because her heart was not in it. But with Gippal everything was different and I suddenly remembered the many stories our friends had told me about the two of them when they were still children and later in their early teenage years. The two of them went way back, and now she was scared of the change that was occurring in their relationship.

We arrived at our house and I parked the car, turning the engine off. I turned to my cousin and gave her a hug, trying to reassure her. "You're right to be afraid… And I understand when you say you don't know how to act around him. That's why I think you should really talk to him, as soon as possible, before he thinks you don't care about him…"

"I do care about him. That's what scares me the most…"

Her comment made me smile and then I let her go. "Go home now. Tell your father that I had to come home earlier and that I asked you to come with me so I didn't have to be on my own. If he asks anything else, tell him I'll give him all the answers when I get home…"

"You're not coming?"

"I have to go, Shuyin needs me and I don't want to waste any time. I'll be home soon, okay?"

She nodded and got out of the car, taking her bag with her. I started the car once again and headed to Shuyin's place, hoping to find him there.

-----XX-----

Only after I knocked twice on the door, did Shuyin answer it. I looked at him for a second, before he pulled me into a tight hug, and I must confess I didn't like what I saw ― his skin was rather pale, except for the dark circles under his eyes, usually so bright and now so sad and gloomy… He looked like he hadn't slept at all that night.

"I thought you wouldn't come." He said softly when he let go of me. We entered his apartment and sat on the couch.

"Why would you think that?" I asked, surprised. "You called me and here I am."

"But you were in Luca, and you were with your friends, and―"

"Shuyin," I interrupted him, cupping his face in my hands, so that our eyes were levelled. "_You_ are my friend and you needed me, so I would always come, even if I was in Zanarkand…" I trailed off and let my hands drop on my lap, following them with my gaze. Mentioning Zanarkand hadn't been very smart of me for it reminded us of Tidus and right now I didn't think Shuyin would like to think or talk about his brother that much.

We both remained silent for a few moments.

"How is he?" Shuyin suddenly inquired, trying to sound casual.

A small smile found its way to my lips as I answered. "He's fine, I think. Everybody likes him, as usual, and he's enjoying his time here. It looks like he never left… I can tell he has missed this ― the friends, the landscape… But I think he still misses us." I added, the smile disappearing from my face.

"Us?" Shuyin asked, raising an eyebrow. His deep blue eyes were concealed behind blonde strands that fell in front of his face.

I nodded. "That's right ― us. Me…" I remembered the events that had occurred just the day before in the swimming pool and that were still so fresh on my mind, but decided that it was too soon to tell Shuyin about them, so I kept them to myself, completing in a soft voice "And you."

"I think you're wrong, Yuna." He leaned back on the couch, resting his head and closing his eyes.

I smiled again, a sad smile. "You know I'm not. But that's not why I'm here." I added suddenly, reaching out my hand to touch his arm. "What happened, Shuyin?"

He didn't answer for the longest moment. I wanted to urge him to tell me, but I refrained myself from doing it, knowing he would tell me ― he was just taking his time. Finally he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "Lenne broke up with me…"

"Shu…" I squeezed his hand to try and comfort him. I knew how much he loved her and I really didn't understand why she kept doing this to him ― one day apart, the next together, then apart again… "When?" I asked softly.

"Tuesday."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" I was surprised. I had been with him last Sunday and everything had been fine and then, two days later, Lenne had broken up with him… again… And he hadn't told me anything about it for a whole week, keeping it all to himself.

"Because I know things haven't been easy for you since Tidus returned and I didn't want to bother you with another silly problem…"

"Shuyin, it's not a silly problem! You should have told me, so I could've been here for you… You shouldn't have gone through this all alone…" I whispered, feeling sorry for him.

"It was nothing I wasn't used to." He replied plainly, shrugging his shoulders. His words hurt me, but I knew I deserved them after those many months I hadn't had any contact with him, so I didn't say a word. Instead, I stood up and walked to the wall where the pictures of us were hanging ― those photos were of a time when we were all happy in a way or another… I felt Shuyin getting up and approaching me from behind. "But that wasn't why I called you."

I turned to face him. "No?" He shook his head. "Then why was it?"

His eyes were downcast when he told me in a whisper "My father's dying…"

"What?" I gasped, placing a hand over my mouth. That couldn't be! Jecht could not be dying! It's true that right after the accident, he had been fighting between life and death but then his condition had stabilized. I mean, he wasn't safe yet, but he _looked_ so peaceful, and even the doctors said he was getting better, that the probabilities of him waking up were increasing… And now…

"That's right." Shuyin continued, looking down. "My father's dying. The doctor told me he started bleeding internally, and they can't do anything to stop it…"

"What about White Magic?" I asked, hope rising within me. "Have they tried White Magic on him?"

"They tried everything, Yuna." He shook his head and then gazed up at me. His eyes were bright with unshed tears and he blinked them back. "There's no hope for my father. No hope… The doctor told me just yesterday…"

Yesterday! That's why he had tried to call me so many times… And I had my cell phone turned off ― how stupid I had been for thinking that no one would need me! I felt my eyes watering and unlike the boy standing in front of me I didn't stop the tears from falling, instead I just threw my arms around my friend and sobbed on his shoulder, feeling his concealed pain like it was my own. He brought his hands up and put them around my shoulders, tightening me in his embrace, like I could make all the nightmares just go away. I wished I could…

After a few moments I had calmed down and had gone to the small kitchen to make some tea ― Shuyin didn't have any tea sachets, as I had supposed, so I had to work something up, adding the peel of a lemon and lots of sugar to a cup of hot water. Then I handed it to him.

"There, it's homemade tea." I joked, smiling. He grabbed the cup and took it to his lips. "Watch it, it's really hot."

"Thanks. Are you better now?" he asked, eyeing me closely.

"I should be the one asking you that, not the other way around."

"Yeah, but I'm the tough guy here, so I ask…"

I smiled and then answered, serious again "I'm probably better than you… Are you sure you're okay?"

"I have to be."

I bit my lower lip. "You know, Shu, it's okay if you're not okay… I know I'm not and I'm not even part of the family."

"I know what you mean, Yuna. But I can't allow myself to be broken down again. I've spent many years without Jecht for him to affect me now. He's gonna die," he shrugged his shoulders, "well, lots of people die everyday. I even think it's a blessing for him, he was no one in this world anymore, his glory died long before him…"

His words were bitter and I knew they were not completely true, but he was somewhat right. Jecht had had his glory days in the pat, but right now he was nothing more than a homeless drunk guy who did nothing but to mess his kids' lives. What would happen if he'd wake up? Would his boys forgive him and take him into one of their homes for him to live with them? I mean, they didn't even speak to each other, why on Spira would they speak to their father, a man who had never done anything for them? Maybe it would be better if Jecht just died once and for all, like Shuyin was saying…

"What about Lenne?" I asked him softly.

"What about her?" He mumbled, looking into his lemon tea.

"Did you tell her about your father?"

He shook his head. "No. I haven't seen her or spoken to her since Tuesday." He ran a hand through his blonde hair, before adding "I can't keep on suffering because of her anymore! Last time, I went after her, trying to get her back, trying to understand why we weren't together anymore and she kept pushing me away… And then she came back to me and everything was so perfect and now… I still don't understand why she left again…"

I didn't know what to say to him. Telling him things would be better was a good choice, but I didn't want to lie to my best friend. "If she left you again is because she doesn't…" _She doesn't really love you._ "…she doesn't deserve you."

"Maybe I'm the one who doesn't deserve her…"

"You really think that! Shuyin, despite everything you've done in the past, you're worth more than a thousand… a thousand…"

He smirked. "See, Yuna? Not even you can find someone who's worse than me."

"I can find many people who are worse than you, sweetie. When it comes to love, even I am worse than you…" I added almost inaudibly, looking at my feet.

"Why do you say that?" He asked, coming to stand beside me.

"For no reason…" I said feebly.

"Uh-huh. Don't make me ask again, Yuna…"

"No, really, it's nothing, Shuyin…" I still couldn't tell him about Tidus and what had happened. "I'll tell you when I'm ready, okay?" I ended up saying, gazing at him.

"Okay, but better make that fast…" He said, taking another sip of his tea. "You now what, this stuff is good…" He added, looking at the golden liquid inside the cup.

I laughed. I liked to see Shuyin acting like this, like this all situation wasn't crushing him… His father was dying, he didn't talk to his brother, his girlfriend had dumped him and still he was holding on pretty well. He really was an example of strength…

"I love you, Shu." I told him, kissing his cheek. "And I'm here for you, every time you need me, okay?"

He gave me a quick hug, smiling in response.

-----XX-----

"Home, at last!" I sighed, entering my room and placing the bags at the end of my bed. It seemed like ages since the last time I had seen my bedroom…

I'd arrived home about half an hour earlier, but Uncle Cid had wanted to talk to me about our trip to Luca and about Rikku and then Rikku had wanted to talk to me about Shuyin and what his problem was. When I had told her, she'd been as shocked as me ― no one was expecting this to really happen…

"I'm so sorry for him…" she had said "And for Tidus."

Tidus… He didn't know it yet and I'd promised him I'd call him as soon as I knew what was wrong with Shuyin. But right now I was too tired to have a conversation with Tidus to tell him his father was dying. Maybe later that night when I'd gathered the courage to do it…

I started to unpack my things and put them in their right places in my room. When everything was already put away, I sat at my desk to choose a CD to listen to ― I knew music would help me to relax ― but my eyes landed on my black notebook. My little old black notebook… I had it since I had arrived at Besaid ― it had been my first acquisition in this small city, actually ― and it had been like my diary since then; it was full of poetry, of quotes, of thoughts of my own… It was a very personal thing. And I hadn't written on it for a long period of time… Suddenly, I decided I didn't want to listen to music; I wanted to write ― I've always loved to write, it has always made me feel better, lighter, more at peace… It has always been a way out since I can remember; even when I was at the boarding school.

With a small smile, I snatched it from the spot where it was and opened it in its last written page. I looked at the date on the top ― it was from four months ago, before college had started. It was a poem I had written on the beach while I watched the sun setting down over the sea. I didn't read it though; I just turned the page, put on the date and started writing another entry.

_There's so much I want to say to you,_

_But it seems that telling you isn't something I can do._

_I want to scream at this situation that has me confined,_

_But I find myself smiling at it and saying everything's fine. _

_I'm fine. But am I really alright?_

_There are many things running through my mind_

_And I'm not sure if I can handle this alone,_

_I'm not certain if I can face it on my own…_

_I don't even know what I want anymore…_

_I want peace. Then why do I seek war?_

_I want love. Then why do I start to fight?_

_All I know is that I love you more than life…_

_So don't leave me now, when I need you so._

_Don't tell me I'm wrong, don't ever let go,_

_Hold me tight to your chest and let me stay_

_Just hearing your heart beating next to me_

_So I can finally find some harmony_

_And forget these inner thoughts that kill me _

_Every time you go away…_

I put the pen down and looked at what I had written. The poem hadn't been planned, I had just let the words pour from the pen like rain falling from the sky, but I liked the final result. It had begun by being something about Shuyin and his father's condition and their relationship, but then, somewhere along the way, it had turned into something else, something more personal to me ― my own insecurities and doubts concerning a certain blonde blitzer…

Looking at the poem once again, I grabbed my mobile phone and dialled Tidus number (he had given it to me the night before). He picked it up almost immediately. "Yuna?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are you?"

"Fine. How 'bout you? Have you talked to Shuyin yet?" He asked quickly. I could sense the urge in his voice.

"Yes, I did. I'm afraid I don't have good news, Tidus." I told him quietly. I waited for his response, but he didn't give me one, so I continued "Shuyin called me because… well, because Jecht's condition got worse, Tidus. The doctors say he may not survive…"

I couldn't tell him there was no hope for his father. I just couldn't bring myself to say to him that his father was going to die in a matter of weeks, days or even hours… I just couldn't.

"May not survive? But he was getting better…" He said, his voice faltering a little.

"He was, but something happened and now he's bleeding internally and he's getting worse… I don't know much more."

"But do you think he'll die?" His hesitant question reminded me of myself when I had discovered my father was extremely ill. I hadn't had much contact with my father for a long time, more precisely since I was six years-old, when he had put me in the boarding school, but still, when I had found, nine years later, that he was about to die, I felt like my world was tumbling down on me. I guess our parents, even when they're not the best parents ever, mean a lot to us, especially when we feel them slipping away without us being able to tell them everything we wanted to, even if it is 'I hate you'.

I took a deep breath before answering in all honesty. "I don't think he's gonna make it, Tidus. I'm sorry…"

"How long do you think he has?" He inquired, his tone suddenly gloomy, like he was drained of all hope. Apparently, he had already started to accept his father's death.

"I don't know how long… I haven't even been to the hospital yet. I'm just telling you what Shuyin told me and believe me, Tidus, I'm really sorry to be the one bringing you such bad news."

He was quiet for a moment, before replying in a whisper "I'm glad it's you and no one else…" His voice caught in his throat and I realized he was crying. He was crying and he was crying with _me_… For a moment I wished I was there with him so I could hold him to me and wipe his tears away, telling him everything would be alright in the end, even though I knew they wouldn't.

"I'm going back to Besaid, Yuna." He told me, doing his best to keep his voice steady.

"I believed you'd say that." I answered with a small smile.

-----XX-----

Next morning I got up rather early ― actually, I hadn't slept that much during the night ― and went straight to Shuyin's apartment, for we had decided, the day before, that we should go to the hospital to talk to the doctors and so I had told him I would go pick him up in the morning. He was already waiting for me on the street and he jumped into the car as soon as I pulled over.

"Good morning." he greeted, kissing me on the cheek.

I smiled in return, speeding down the empty street. I could sense that he was nervous underneath that mask of calmness that he was wearing. Our way to the hospital was quiet, for none of us was to willing to start a conversation ― the silence was comfortable and we were too focused on our own thoughts to chitchat. I could only imagine what Shuyin was thinking behind his unreadable expression. As for me, I was thinking of his brother ― I had dreamt about him that night, a strange and stupid dream I could not recall, and that was irritating me beyond all measure because I had woken up in the middle of the night covered in cold sweat because of that dream of Tidus… What had it been about? I had really no idea.

Suddenly my phone began to ring, startling both me and Shuyin. I reached for my purse, which was on the backseat, and brought it to the front, asking Shuyin if he could search the phone for me, since I was driving… He grabbed the purse and opened it, finding the cell phone and handing it to me. I glanced at the display ― it was Tidus.

Giving Shuyin a sideway glance, wondering if he had seen who it was, I answered the phone. "Yeah?"

"Yuna, it's Tidus."

"I know." I replied simply. Shuyin was looking out of the window, pretending he wasn't paying attention to what I was saying.

"Are you with Shuyin?" His question took me by surprise; I wasn't expecting it at all.

"Why?" I asked, still completely stunned.

He took a moment before responding "Because I needed to talk to him about our father, but I don't have his number. I was hoping you'd be with him or that you could give me his number so I could call him… But if you don't―"

"No, Tidus. I'm with him, actually." Shuyin turned quickly to look at me inquisitively. "Hold on a sec, I'm gonna pass the phone." I smiled sheepishly as I handed the device to Shuyin.

He took it reluctantly. "Tidus? It's Shuyin."

I grabbed the wheel with both hands, hoping with all my might that those two brothers would finally forgive each other and would also face together this situation they were going through. Well, talking on the phone was a beginning as good as any other…

"Yeah… No, I've already talked to the doctors… They tried everything, it's irreversible… I don't know… I don't know… Yes, I'm going there now… I don't see why not… Okay then… Okay, see ya." Shuyin closed the mobile phone and put it in my purse again. Then he turned to me "Tidus has arrived this morning and he's also going to the hospital. We'll meet there."

"Okay." I answered plainly. Then, carefully, I asked "Are you ready to face your brother again?"

Shuyin looked out of the window. "I don't see why not."

"C'mon, Shu. That's the kind of answer you give Tidus, not me."

A small smile found its way to his lips. "What do you want me to say, Yuna? I still haven't forgiven Tidus, like you want me to, but I must say that he is my little brother and that right now he may need me…"

I grinned, adding under my breath "As you may need him…"

"I heard that."

"Isn't it true?" We had reached our destination and I parked the car near the hospital entrance, turning off the engine. "And why do you say I want you to forgive Tidus, huh?"

"Because I still see the familiar glint of love in your eyes whenever we talk about him. And we always seek forgiveness for the ones we love, even when we aren't able to forgive them ourselves…"

Shuyin was deadly serious and I just couldn't find the right words to contradict him, so I just stood there, open-mouthed, looking at him in those big, deep blue eyes. It would be easy to deny what he had just said, but I knew that he would see right through my words and into my heart, and I also knew that my heart wasn't always feeling what my head was thinking ― even though I wanted to forgive Tidus, my conscience wouldn't let me, even though I wanted to forget Tidus, my heart would not allow it… And so I was stuck in this dilemma, not really knowing if I loved him still or not.

"See? I'm right and you know it, Yuna." Shuyin continued, opening his door and getting out of the car. He then went around the vehicle and opened my own door, holding out his hand for me to take it. I took it, still dumbfounded at his accurate comment. He just knew me all too well…

After locking the car, we entered the hospital and the first person I saw was Tidus, sitting next to an older man dressed with a long red coat. As soon as he spotted us he jumped from his chair and came quickly in our direction. Then without hesitating once, he threw his arms around Shuyin and gave him a bear hug. It was his way of saying he was sorry… Shuyin took a minute to respond, but then he put his arms around his little brother and hugged back. It was his way of saying that he accepted Tidus' apologies… Or at least, I hoped it was.

The man who was seated next to Tidus also got up, walking slowly towards us. When he reached us, Tidus and Shuyin had already let go of each other and Tidus was looking at me intently. For a moment I thought if he was debating whether to hug me too or not… But I never got to know what his decision would have been, for the man rested a hand on his shoulder, calling for his attention.

"Sorry, guys, this is Auron." Tidus said, pointing at the man. "Auron, this is Shuyin, my brother… And Yuna, my…" He trailed of, the sentence dying in the air.

So that was the famous Auron, Tidus' agent and friend, Dona's uncle, Jecht's best friend from long ago… He seemed to be around forty years old, maybe a little younger, his hair stained with grey, his dark eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. A scar marked the right side of his face, from his forehead to his chin. That man looked like he had been a soldier in his days…

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, boy." He said in a low voice, addressing Shuyin. As for me, he just looked me up and down, and then bowed his head slightly. "Lady Yuna."

I let out a half-smile. _Here comes the 'lady' talk again… It must be a habit in Zanarkand to treat all women as a lady._ I thought to myself.

"Shuyin, can we talk?" Tidus asked tentatively.

Shuyin looked at him and nodded, excusing himself and following his brother to another room. And so, I was left alone with Auron. We both returned to the waiting room and sat on two empty chairs. The silence was kind of awkward; after all, we were nothing but strangers to one another.

"So, you are the one who took Tidus in when he left Besaid, right?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"Yes, it was me."

_Good! He is the talkative type!_ I thought sarcastically, trying once again. "And how long have you known Jecht?"

At the mention of Jecht, Auron turned his head to face me, looking at me through his shades. "I've known Jecht for almost all of my life. And that's why it is so hard to see him lying there, motionless. Because I still remember when he was chasing the girls around, playing blitzball like a champion and partying all night with his friends…"

I had no idea why Auron had chosen me, of all people, to tell those things to ― we had just met and somehow he didn't seem the kind of guy who drabbled about his life with just everyone. I looked at him, trying to analyze what I was seeing… Strangely, this guy seemed really familiar to me, like I had seen him before somewhere. Later Rikku would tell that I had probably just seen him on TV, since he was Tidus' manager and all, but I knew that I was recognizing him not from the TV but from a more remote past…

"You know, Tidus and Shuyin remind me a lot of Jecht." Auron continued. "Not physically, but the way they talk, the way they act… You probably haven't known Jecht long enough to be able to identify these little details, but I am…"

"Yeah, I don't know Jecht all that well." I confirmed, softly. "Tidus and Shuyin never wanted me to get much contact with their father." _Because he was always drunk… I don't think Tidus and Shuyin are like their father._ I added in my mind._ Not even one bit._

"You were Tidus' girlfriend, weren't you?" Auron asked suddenly.

I didn't know if I wanted to answer him, but he had asked politely, and it was no big, dark secret, so… "Yes, I dated Tidus for a while. But then he left for Zanarkand and… well, things didn't work out."

"I see." He took his hand to his chin for a moment. "He told me about you. He said you were the best thing that had ever happened to him."

I blinked, surprised. "I thought that playing for the Abes was the best thing that had ever happened to him…"

"Apparently not. Oh, here they come."

I looked in the direction Auron had indicated and saw Tidus and Shuyin walking side by side, the same expression on both of their faces.

"So?" I asked, getting up and going to meet them halfway.

Tidus looked sadly at me. "He's not gonna make it. He's getting worse every single minute."

"How long?" Auron asked from behind me.

"Days in the maximum…" Shuyin responded darkly.

-----XX-----

Jecht died a few days later. Both of his sons were with him that day and, according to what I've heard, he didn't suffer because he was still in a coma, so he didn't even realize he was dying. Shuyin and Tidus had decided to give him a proper funeral, even though he hadn't been the best father ever, and so they had already arranged everything, they were just expecting the inevitable to happen. And it had finally happened in a rainy morning…

The funeral was two days later. There weren't many people there ― Shuyin and Tidus had wanted it that way. Only the close friends were there to give them their support. It was just me, Rikku, Lulu and Wakka, who had left the baby with Paine, a few other friends of the family, Gippal, who had also come, Auron and… Lenne.

She had in some way discovered that Jecht had died and so she had come to show her sympathy for Shuyin and for Tidus. She had hugged Tidus and kissed him on the cheek and then she had also hugged Shuyin, holding his hand through the rest of the ceremony. I had noticed Shuyin squeezing her hand back, but this time he didn't smile or laugh or show his happiness in any way. After all he had been through that last week, he was just too tired emotionally to express his love for her. Or maybe he was just too hurt to do it. Either way, when the funeral ended, he let go of her hand and turned around, walking away without looking back. Maybe he was waiting for her to call him, but she didn't do it and so he didn't turn back.

"I think it's really over…" Tidus said behind me.

"Well, it was her fault. She let him slip through her fingers. Now, I think it's too late to go back." I said coldly. I felt cold… on the inside…

"It's never too late when you really love someone." He replied, running his hands up and down my arms in an attempt to make me warmer. It was just like he had read my mind.

"Sometimes it is… Love isn't everlasting."

"Yes, it is. Love never dies."

We both knew we were not talking about Lenne and Shuyin. But unlike what Lenne had done, I wouldn't comfort Tidus just to leave him again the next moment. No, I could not give him false hopes, especially because I had no idea what were his feelings for me…

I averted my gaze from Lenne and my eyes landed on Rikku and Gippal. They were talking a few steps away from me and Tidus and so we could not hear what they were saying, but I knew my cousin had gone to talk with the cocky Al Bhed after he had returned from Luca and she had come home that day with a huge grin on her lips, so I took it that the conversation had gone well…

"Some people break up, others hook up…" I whispered.

"Yeah." Tidus said simply, following my gaze. "Others yet remain with the person they chose to share their lives with."

I knew he was talking about Lulu and Wakka, who were walking towards their car, probably to go home, to their son. They were a happy family and I was happy for them.

By now, Tidus had slipped his hands around my waist and was pulling me against his chest, tightening the embrace like he didn't want to let _me_ slip through his fingers.

"Relationships… They're always so complicated." I sighed. "Why bother to try and understand them?" Slowly, I unhooked Tidus fingers and stepped out of his embrace, turning to him with a sad look. "Sometimes, it's just better to forget them… I'm sorry."

And with that I turned on my heels and started walking fast, getting away from that place that gave me the chills and from that boy who could still make my heart melt…

"Requiescat in pace" means "Rest in peace" in Latin.

A/N: So, what did you guys think? Do you think I rushed things up in the end? Firstly I thought so, but I really wanted to post this asap, so… Anyways, now I don't think it's that bad, but I'd really like to know your opinions…

**Duderman:** Hey, here's the update you've been begging for, lol. I hope it was worth it. A lot happened in this chapter and Yuna has finally realized she still likes Tidus. Thank you so much for your review ― I don't know if my writing is getting better, but I'm developing it and it sure is good to know that you think so. Thanks again.

**bbychrangel:** Is this soon enough for you:-) I hate it when Tidus is sad too… actually, I don't like to see any of the characters suffering, because I'm already in love with all of them and I just want to see them happy! But I still got plans for everybody, so… I know, I'm evil, lol. Thanks for reviewing.

**Seelenspiel:** Yeah, I didn't think it would be that good to bring them together without any further analysis on their relationship. Everything will be revealed in due time, though, and then… who knows? Okay I do, but I'm not gonna tell you, ;-) Thank you and I hope you find this chapter just as good as the other…

**Da KeR MysTeRr:** Thank you. I hope you liked this chapter too. Now we already know what was happening with Shuyin, Gippal and Rikku seem to be going alright (I'll go back to them later, don't worry) and Yuna and Tidus… well, I don't really know if the tension will ever go away, at least not until they solve everything that's keeping them from being together. But well, that's life…

**tidusXyuna637:** Thank you so much. Yeah, Gippal and Rikku really needed to understand that they like each other, end of story. The only problem is that it's not the end of story for them, lol… As for Yuna and Tidus… Oh god, Yuna is so stubborn and she's made up her mind that she won't fall again (we'll see that, ah-ha), but I think she has finally realized she still likes him, don't you?

**slamlam:** Thank you. Here's the update. Hope you like it.

**kiritawuv:** This is what happened next. Yuna is still the same stubborn girl who's decided not to fall for Tidus again. But that kiss in the pool has certainly made her realize some things… I think she has already realized she still likes him, so let's see what happens next.

Well, guys, that's all for now. But I'll be back, so… until then.


	19. Chapter 18: My confessions

A/N: Hello, everyone I'm back! First of all, I'm so sorry for the long wait but I've been completely blocked and I really didn't want to put a crappy chapter here so… I thought it was better to wait a little longer. Anyways, thanks for sticking with me and waiting this long. I hope you do enjoy this chapter and I hope you'll understand Yuna better after reading it too…

* * *

_**Chapter 18**_

_**My confessions**_

"I saw you talking with Tidus, yesterday at the burial." Rikku said, coming to sit next to me on the couch.

"Yeah… So what?" I mumbled, not even lifting my gaze from the book I was reading. I was trying hard not to think of Tidus and talking about him was definitely something I didn't want to do right now. The week that had passed had left me really confused, with many doubts… I'd spent a lot of time with Tidus and Shuyin at the hospital. The two of them had talked and had decided to leave their problems behind so they could face their father's death together ― Shuyin hadn't admitted it, but I knew he had forgiven his brother, just like Tidus had already forgotten the way Shuyin had treated him when he had first arrived. I was glad they had solved their issues, but that meant that now, every time I was with Shuyin, I was also with Tidus and that was becoming hard to deal with ― it seemed like we were getting along better and better each passing day; it was like nothing wrong had ever happened to us, it was almost like we were starting anew… He had been extremely polite and respectful during that week, never mentioning what had happened in Luca, never trying to do something similar… Well, that is until the day before, when he had held me in his arms; the way he had touched me wasn't the way a friend would have and it had awoken some forgotten and unwelcome feelings inside of me. And some confused thoughts and even more doubts. And so, right now, I really didn't want to talk about him… especially with Rikku, of all the people.

"Well, you two seemed to be getting along just fine, but then you left so suddenly… What happened?" Rikku sounded worried and I looked up, meeting her green swirls.

"Nothing happened, Rikku." I lied, trying to reassure her. "I was just… I never liked funerals, that's all. That's why I left earlier."

She eyed me suspiciously for a moment, but then she smiled brightly. "Yeah, I completely understand you ― no one likes funerals. But I was worried that you and Tidus might have argued again. I didn't want that, especially now that you're friends again!"

_Friends?_ I wondered if I could ever be friends with Tidus again. _Well, at least we're trying… That must count for something, no?_

"Well, girl," I said, changing the subject to keep my mind from thinking of Tidus. "You say you saw me and Tidus talking. I say I saw you _and_ Gippal together too and the two of you seemed very happy in each other's company…" She grinned broadly and I smiled too. "You never got to tell me what happened when you went to talk to him…"

"Oh well, that…" She giggled. "It wasn't all that bad talking to him, actually. He mocked me for running away from him and he acted like his usual self, all cocky and conceited, but he ended up understanding my position. At least, I think he did."

"That's so good!" I exclaimed, grinning at her. "What have you decided to do from now on?"

She grinned guiltily. "I'm still not sure. We didn't talk all that much, if you know what I mean…" She added mischievously. "I think we both decided to just go with the flow, ya know… I kinda like him and I think he likes me too, so… Let's see where this leads us to."

We both giggled excitedly, like two young girls in their first years of adolescence and she gave me a huge bear-hug. After a moment she released me, jumping to her feet and stretching her back.

"Well, Yunie, I love to chat with you, but I really got to bounce…"

"Oh, and may I know where you're going, missy? Maybe to meet a certain Al Bhed guy?" I asked playfully.

She laughed. "No, not this time. I'm meeting some friends from school ― we're going to the mall. But maybe I'll see Gippal later, who knows?" She winked, sticking out her tongue, and ran out of the room.

Finding myself alone once again and still grinning from my previous conversation with Rikku, I opened the book to resume my reading session. About half an hour later though, I finished the novel and stayed there, just staring into nothingness and letting my thoughts roam and take a path of their own. Soon enough I was thinking of Tidus again… What was going on between us? Why did he keep trying to get close to me? Was he playing some twisted game with my head? _C'mon, Yuna, you don't believe that_, I scolded myself. No, I didn't believe it, of course, it was a silly idea. But believing Tidus loved me still was as silly as believing the opposite… _Oh Yevon, why is everything so complicated? I wished I could just go back to how it was before, when there was nothing in the world that could keep us apart… _Unfortunately, going back was something we could never do; we could never erase those two years of separation, of suffering…

"I could really use some advice…" I said in a whisper, leaning my head back and looking to the blank ceiling. Suddenly, a calm and friendly face popped into my mind…

Five minutes later I was knocking on Lulu's back door.

"Hello, Yuna!" Lulu greeted warmly, opening the door to let me in. "So, what brings you here?"

"You, actually." I gave her a quick hug. "I was wondering if we could talk a bit…"

"Of course, come in. Did something happen?" She asked, frowning a little.

"Not really. I just needed some advice." I answered with a small smile. "How's your baby?"

We entered the living room and Lulu lowered her voice. "Well, he's asleep right now…" She walked towards a cradle that was placed next to the couch and bent over it, motioning for me to approach her. I got near and looked over her shoulder. Little Vidina was lying in the crib, his tiny fists grabbing the white sheet and his eyes peacefully closed. Lulu smoothed his red hair and he exhaled deeply.

I smiled, whispering, "You must be such a proud mum, Lulu."

"I am." She straightened herself and turned to me. "I'm sorry, Yuna, do you mind if we go talk elsewhere? It's just that it was so difficult to put him to sleep that I really don't want him to wake up yet…"

"Of course, Lu, there's no problem."

I followed her to the large kitchen where the Moogle was playing on the floor with one of Wakka's blitzballs. As soon as he sensed us, he let go of his newfound toy and ran towards Lulu, who accommodated him on her lap as she sat at the table. I sat in front of her, snatching an apple from the fruit bowl and taking a bite.

"Are you all alone?" I asked, finding it strange that the house was so quiet.

"No, Paine's in her room. But now with Vidina, none of us can be too loud, except for the baby himself." She chuckled and then turned serious again. "But you didn't come to talk about Vidina… or Paine. What can I do for you, Yuna?"

I took a deep breath. Now that I was here, I had no idea where to start. Maybe I should just start with the simple truth. "I came to talk about Tidus…"

Lulu nodded. "I figured… Yesterday I saw the two of you together and I couldn't help but to notice the tension. This situation you are in isn't good for either of you." She added gravely.

"I know." I admitted, my voice faltering a little. "It isn't good, but it's the best we can get for now… It's really awkward, but we're trying to be friends…"

"Yuna," she said in a reproving tone. "You and I both know that when a relationship ends, it's impossible to be friends unless things are completely clear between the people."

"But things are clear between us. It's over!" I restated.

Lulu shook her head. "If things were clear between the two of you, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Yuna. You wouldn't need any advice and you wouldn't have any doubts."

I bent my head. She was right, as usual…

"Have you written anything recently?" Lulu asked all of a sudden.

Her question surprised me and I looked up from the green apple in my hands, meeting her gaze. Lulu is one of the few people who know I write poetry and she was the only one I'd ever shown my work to, with the exception of Tidus of course. "I wrote another poem last night." I finally answered. "It's the fourth since I've started to write again…"

She smiled mysteriously. "I bet it's good. You usually write better when you write with your heart instead of your head."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked her with a half-smile, wondering what that had to do with Tidus.

But Lulu knew me well enough to read between the lines and to understand my unspoken questions. "I'm just saying that your best poems are those in which you write about your feelings. And your best inspiration source has always been Tidus. You still have feelings for him, don't you?"

I closed my eyes and leaned back on the chair. If I was going to start to explain my confused feelings, this was definitely going to be a long talk… "I still like him, that's undeniable." I finally said, sighing deeply. "I've tried to shut him out of my life in order to forget him, but now he's back and I can't escape the fact that he still has an effect on me ― when he touches me, when he holds me… when he kissed me… I feel alive, I feel loved… I haven't felt that way since he left…"

"You still love him." Lulu stated, smiling.

I shook my head. "I don't know if it's love or if it is a need to feel loved… No one ever knew me or loved me like Tidus and I think I miss it, you know. I miss the feeling, the support…"

"So you're saying that if any other guy would come your way and fall in love with you, you'd forget Tidus?" She asked, an undecipherable smile playing on her lips.

"You know it's not that easy… Tidus is… was…"

"Unforgettable?"

I looked at her. "You're setting me a trap, aren't you?"

"I'm just playing your conscience here." She said with a smirk. "You wanted to talk about Tidus, you wanted advice, but what I think you really need is to make up your mind. You need to realize what you want and how you feel. Only that way you'll be able to go back or to let go and move on…" She held my hands over the table and smiled understandingly at me. "I'm just trying to help you to understand."

"I know, Lu, but…" I shook my head sadly. "I can't… I can't admit it. The day I'll admit it is the day I'll fall for him again."

"Would that be that bad, Yuna?"

My vision was becoming blurred with the tears. I blinked them back. "I don't wanna get hurt again." I whispered, averting her gaze and looking out the window.

"Who says you'd get hurt this time? You're older, more experienced, wiser… Both of you. Maybe you could work things out, who knows?" She continued as I looked at her, "I'm not saying you should get back together, though. I just think you should try to clarify things between the two of you. Maybe if you did, the tension would go away, as the doubts…"

"Are you saying you think I should talk to him?" I asked.

"Yes, I am. I think you should do it so you wouldn't be stuck to a past that doesn't exist anymore…" Lulu responded seriously.

I nodded. "Maybe you're right… But I don't know if I have the courage to do it."

"You're strong enough; I know you can do it." She reassured me, squeezing my hands. "Besides, Tidus deserves an explanation for your behaviour."

"What?"

"You know what I mean, Yuna. And I only say this because he told me you didn't give him a reason when you broke up with him. That's why he feels so confused and so insecure about this situation. Yes, he's feeling insecure too…" She added when she saw my surprised look. "And that's why I think you should talk to him about what happened, so you can determine and decide how your future is going to be like."

"If you want a bright future, you must start to clean the clouds of your past…" I said under my breath.

"That's precisely what I mean." Lulu smiled. "That is a very good advice…"

"Yeah, my father was a wise man." I whispered, remembering the many times I'd heard him saying that.

"Then take his advice and use it."

I smiled a little. "Well, they're very dark and heavy clouds."

She frowned a bit. "What can possible be so dark about your past with Tidus, Yuna? You never told anyone the reason why you broke up with him…" Her words were filled with concern.

I knew she would ask me this sooner or later ― when I had put an end to my relationship with Tidus, I hadn't said a word to anyone, keeping all the reasons to myself, suffering in silence; I'd built a wall around me and hadn't let anyone in, not even my closest friends. So I couldn't blame them for not understanding me ― to them, Tidus was the same boy who had left and I had been a bitch who had dumped him because the distance was too unbearable… Well, at least I could say I hadn't stuck with him for the money…

"It's too complicated, Lulu, it's a long story…" I said, keeping my gaze down.

"Well, if you don't want to tell me, it's okay, but I'm not going anywhere, so…" She said softly.

"You really wanna know, Lu?"

"I want to understand you. And I think I can only understand your decisions and your behaviour towards Tidus if you tell me what he did to hurt you so…"

I sighed deeply, thinking of the best way to tell her what had happened to make me so bitter about the past. "Well, it all started when Tidus left for Zanarkand and I stayed behind. He wanted me to go with him, but I was underage and Uncle Cid didn't allow it. It really hurt to see him go, but still I gave him all my support. The first few months were really hard and even though we tried to keep in touch, there were times when we didn't know anything about each other ― after all Zanarkand _is_ on the other side of the world…"

"I know. It must've been hard." Lulu agreed. "Long distance relationships aren't easy to handle…"

"No, they're not, especially when you're a seventeen-years-old foolish girl without much experience in life and with many doubts. I started to feel insecure."

"That's understandable, Yuna. No one was expecting you to be all confident… You could have told us."

My voice trembled. "Yes, I could, but I believed you were going to think I was this childish kid who didn't trust her boyfriend. I was really stupid back then, really. I didn't trust you, guys, and I ended up not trusting Tidus. I started to think that he didn't like me anymore, that he had already forgotten all about me, that he didn't care… I started wondering where he was, what he was doing, who he was with… I was becoming paranoid!" I smiled sadly; now I was coming to the hardest part of the story. "One day, I saw Tidus on the cover of a magazine. He was holding a girl ― I have no idea who she is ― and the title said they were the newest and hottest couple in Zanarkand. I bought the magazine and read the interview. The girl confirmed everything. I couldn't believe it! I just couldn't! And yet, a part of me was saying 'I told you so'."

"You talked to Tidus about this?" Lulu asked, her eyes showing sympathy and doubt in equal parts.

"I tried." I answered, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I tried to talk to him about this, but he was always too busy. He was always going somewhere, meeting someone, he didn't have time for me anymore… And I was just a kid who needed to know… I needed to know the truth, because I was starting to believe that what I had seen was real. But he never… He could never give me two minutes of his time."

"Do you really think Tidus cheated on you, Yuna?"

"To tell you honestly, Lulu, I don't know. Deep inside, I don't believe it, my heart doesn't believe it. It would mean that what we had was meaningless to him and I can't take that! But then my head says otherwise. You're not gonna tell me you believe that Tidus was two years in Zanarkand and he didn't have one single girl there…"

Lulu was silent for a moment, like she was thinking of something and then she spoke again. "I'm not saying that. I just think he loves you too much to lose you in such a stupid way…"

"Maybe he didn't love me that much…" I said quietly. _But then why does he seem so heartbroken every time I push him away? Why does he insist even when I'm so cold with him? Maybe he really loved me… Maybe he loves me still…_

"Maybe." Lulu agreed. Then she added "Or maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Maybe it all happened because there was a lack in communication… What I know is that you need to talk and to clarify things now more than ever. Who knows? Maybe you'll find out that you should've talked a long time ago…"

"I don't know…" I wiped the tears away. "When I broke up with Tidus, I didn't tell him what I had seen; I just said I couldn't take the distance… I don't… I think I hurt him with my words, but he hurt me even more when he didn't try anything to keep us together. If he loved me so, he would've fought for me, don't you think?"

"Well, you didn't fight for him either. You turned eighteen and you still didn't go after him… You saw the magazine and you didn't fight for your man…"

My eyes widened when I heard those words. Was Lulu accusing me? _"I'm just playing your conscience here."_ No, she wasn't accusing me, she was just giving me another point of view, making me understand better what I had done and what I _hadn't_ done…

"See? You really should talk to him…" She repeated. "I'm not saying you two should get back together, I just think that you should work things out… Maybe this tension between you two would go away." She said once again.

I nodded, finally understanding what I had to do. "I should've talked to you a long time ago…" I gave her a small smile. "You always help me when I need… Thank you."

Suddenly, a baby's cry filled the air and Lulu looked behind her shoulder. "Thank me later, after you talk to him." She told me, putting the Moogle on the ground and getting up. I followed her into the living room, where she was already holding Vidina in her arms, rocking him back and forth. "Shh, baby, mummy's here…"

"Do you need any―? Yuna!" Paine's voice came from the stairs. She jumped the last two steps and approached us. "What are you doing here? And… were you crying?" She added, furrowing her brow.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands and gave Paine a small smile. "I came to talk with your sister about… boys."

"Oh, I see… Tidus." Paine said plainly. "Well, I hope Lulu could help."

I glanced at Lulu, who was still rocking the baby. "Yeah, your sister was of great help. At least, now I know what I should do…"

"Good." Paine nodded, and then added with a very serious expression "And if talking isn't good enough, you can always punch him."

I laughed at her words. Yevon, those girls knew me really well… Suddenly, I got an idea. "Hey, Paine, wanna go to the movies? I could really use the distraction…"

"Sure." She agreed. "Let me just get my coat and my wallet. Is Rikku coming too?" She added as an after thought.

"No, she went out with some friends and I think she's going to meet Gippal later." I answered.

"Oh god, those two forgot the meaning of independence!" Paine exclaimed. "Now, they're always together. It makes me almost sick."

"C'mon Paine, they like each other, they're dating… It's perfectly natural." Lulu said from her seated position on the couch.

"Yeah well, Gippal's already dated all the phone book. Oh, wait, he hasn't dated _all_ the phone book yet; he's still in the letter R of Rikku."

Lulu and I couldn't help but to laugh.

-----XX-----

The movie had been a great way to keep my mind from thinking of Tidus and the conversation I had had with Lulu earlier that day. Because it was a thriller, it kept me focused on the story until the end, trying to discover who the killer was. Paine and I were still talking about the movie when we left the cinema.

"It was a very good choice, Paine. I really liked it." I told her, putting my white gloves on. The night was cold and I pulled the long coat closer to my body.

"Yes, it was a good movie indeed. Much better than any silly romance or stupid comedy." She said, walking out into the street. "Wanna go get something to eat? I'm starting to get hungry."

"Yeah, after all we didn't have dinner." I agreed. "Know any good places around here?"

"Actually, I do." Paine answered. "There's this cool little restaurant down the block. We could go check out their menus."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Lead the way!"

She smirked and we started walking along the sidewalk, still chatting about the film and also about other movies we'd seen or we wanted to see. We were getting to the end of the street when I saw a familiar figure among the people walking on the street.

"Isn't that Baralai?" I asked Paine, pointing to a silver-haired guy with a long dark-green coat who was walking a few meters ahead of us. She followed the direction of my finger and narrowed her eyes. Before she could answer me, I called, "Baralai!"

The guy looked over his shoulder. It was Baralai in fact, and he stopped and smiled the moment he saw us. I smiled too, and started heading his way.

"Hey, Baralai! How are you?" I asked, approaching him. Only then did I see he was accompanied by a short girl with curly red hair. "Hi." I greeted her politely, trying to remember if I had ever seen her.

"Yuna, I didn't expect to see you here…" Baralai smiled, but he wasn't looking at me; his gaze was set somewhere behind me and I could bet that Paine was also looking at him.

Suddenly I heard her footsteps approaching us. "Goodnight." She said in a cold voice.

"Goodnight, Paine." The red-haired girl answered with a smile.

"Anaïr." Pain nodded in her direction.

"You two know each other?" Baralai asked, surprised.

"Yeah, Paine and I share the same White Magic class." Anaïr answered, her voice soft and sweet.

"White Magic?" Baralai looked at Paine, even more surprised.

"Don't ask." Paine retorted. "So, how do _you_ two know each other?"

Baralai looked at the girl beside him and then back at Paine. "Well, we're classmates in History."

"More than classmates, I can see." Paine said, calmly and collectedly as always.

I was there looking between the two of them, thinking it had been a very wrong idea to call Baralai. He and Paine hadn't had much contact since Luca, perhaps because they were trying to keep a certain distance to avoid scenes like this one. Yes, because even though they were having this polite conversation, the hidden meanings behind every sentence were obvious to anyone who knew them well.

"Yes, we're also friends." Baralai added quickly, maybe to prevent Paine from getting the wrong idea.

"Friends… That's nice. And do you usually take your so-called friends on dates, Baralai?"

"Paine, I don't think―"

"Well… eh… sorry to interrupt, but…" Anaïr said, tugging at Baralai's coat. "Baralai… it's cold and it's getting late and…"

"Yeah, you're right. Go ahead and I'll catch up in a second, okay?" Anaïr nodded and bid us goodbye, starting to walk away.

"Aren't you going with her? A girl like her shouldn't walk alone in the streets at night; it might be perilous, she might need protection." Paine said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"You're getting it all wrong, Paine." Baralai said, shaking his head. "Anaïr and I just met to―"

"Whatever. Who said I wanted to hear your explanations?"

"Well, if you don't want to be corrected by my explanations, you shouldn't jump into conclusions, which happen to be wrong!"

"Guys…" I called, trying to cool things down. They weren't talking very loud but they were so focused on each other they didn't hear me.

"What conclusions should I jump into, Baralai? It seemed pretty obvious, don't you think?"

"You should already know that being obvious isn't something I'm very good at. I thought you'd learned that!"

"So did I." Paine retorted, turning on her heels and walking in the opposite direction.

I stood there a few seconds, trying to understand what had happened and deciding whether to go after Paine or stay and talk to Baralai. I figured Paine would be waiting by the car and she would probably want to go home after this episode, so I looked at Baralai and he must've seen in my eyes my indecision for he said in a very tired voice "Go after her, Yuna. Go and tell her, if she is interested, which I seriously doubt, that Anaïr and I were just doing a project together, okay? It wasn't a date."

I nodded and, kissing him lightly on the cheek, took off to go after my friend. She wasn't near the car, though, nor anywhere around. I waited a few more moments, but there was no sign of Paine. Finally I grabbed my phone and called her. It rang four times before she picked it up. "Yeah?"

"Paine, where are you? I'm waiting for you by the car for ages." I told her worriedly.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to be alone for awhile. You can go home, I'll take the bus, later." She answered, her tone cool and firm.

"Are you sure you don't want me to pick you up, Paine? I can wait, if you want. And we don't really have to talk." I added.

"Really, Yuna. I appreciate your offer, but… it's okay. I just need some time alone."

"Will you be alright?"

"Unlike some people, I know how to defend myself." She said.

"You know Paine, it wasn't a date. They were just doing a proj―"

"Yuna, if I wanted to hear it, I would've let Baralai speak. But I don't, so… save it. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. See ya tomorrow."

We both hung up and I climbed into the car, starting the engine and going home for the night.

-----XX-----

A week later nothing had changed. Rikku and Gippal were still crazy about each other and to everyone's surprise they were not even arguing as much as before. Paine and Baralai didn't speak to each other since that night ― he had tried to explain to her what had happened, but she had just turned away. She didn't speak to Anaïr either. Shuyin and Tidus were now as inseparable as before, and Tidus had even moved in with his brother ― he had told Auron he felt more comfortable at Shuyin's than at any hotel in town. I had seen Shuyin a couple of times that week, but I was avoiding Tidus at all costs. Now that I knew what I had to do, now that I had admitted to myself that I needed to talk to him, I was lacking the courage. What should I do? Just go to Shuyin's place and tell him 'Tidus I need to talk to you about a girl who happens to be the cause of our break-up'? Well, that didn't seem very good. So, everything was just as the week before, not much had changed…

That Thursday, however, was about to be different.

Rikku and I were watching a TV program on the leaving-room when the doorbell rang. None of us was too eager to get up from the couch, where we were warm and comfortable, to go and open the door to a cold and rainy winter day, but in the end I ended up standing up and walking to the door.

"Hello, Yuna." Dona said, a smirk plastered on her face as she stood there on the threshold.

My jaw dropped to the floor. What in Yevon's name was this girl doing at my door? "What are you doing here?" I blurted out, not knowing what else to say.

"I came to talk to you. Mind if I come in?" She asked, already making her way inside the house.

"Talk to me about what, Dona?" I questioned as I followed her into the leaving-room, where Rikku was looking at us like we'd grown another head. I couldn't blame her; seeing Dona in our house was like seeing the moon falling from the sky. I shrugged my shoulders to tell her I had no idea what Dona wanted.

"About our little dispute, a.k.a. Tidus." she said, sitting on the loveseat. "I don't know if you recall, but if you don't, let me refresh your memory ― when we were in Luca, we made an agreement about a certain quiz…"

I sighed heavily. How could I forget that stupid quiz? "Yeah, I remember that. And?"

"Well, the day we were supposed to do it, you fled."

"I didn't flee; I had to come back to Besaid because of matters of greater importance than a stupid quiz." I defended myself.

"Of course. I'm just saying that we never decided any other date and now I'm wondering when it is going to take place. Because I want to show you as soon as possible that no one knows Tidus better than me."

I hated her arrogance; I just had a need to prove her wrong. "I bet you do. And for your information, I can do the quiz whenever you want. Just set the date."

Dona smirked mischievously. "Today, now. Rikku can ask the questions, since she was the only other person to know of this… decision of ours."

"Today?" I blinked.

"Me?" Rikku asked.

"Yeah, do you have a problem with that?" Dona asked, throwing her dark locks behind her shoulder.

My cousin and I looked at each other. Of course I had lots of problems with Dona's suggestion, and maybe Rikku had problems with it too, but none of us was going to give her the pleasure of seeing us defeated or distressed by her options and by her challenges.

"Okay," we both said in unison.

"Okay." Dona repeated, smiling maliciously.

Fifteen minutes later, after a long wait stuck inside the same room with Dona, Rikku had finally made a list of questions about Tidus. I took a deep breath before looking at it ― it was a list of thirty questions randomly chosen, going from Tidus' childhood to his present situation. Thankfully, Rikku had left me out of the questions, not mentioning my relationship with Tidus not even once. Maybe she didn't want Dona to accuse her of giving me advantage by asking stuff that only I could know. Or maybe she thought that I was going to win easily and didn't need the advantage at all. I think she was more confident than I was, actually. After seeing Dona's attitude and coolness, I was starting to think that maybe she wasn't that dumb and that she could know Tidus very well too. After all, I had been the first one to think she was his girlfriend when they had arrived at Besaid; what made me think now that I knew more about him than she did?

"Okay," Rikku said handing two blank sheets to both of us. "Now you can start answering the questions and… well, when you finish you'll give them to me and I'll… check them with Tidus."

"Is Tidus going to know about this?" I asked, suddenly fearful my cousin's answer would be 'yes'.

"Well, how am I supposed to know the correct answers if I don't ask Tidus himself?" Rikku looked at me.

"You're right, you're right, sorry." I apologized, gazing down. I didn't want to look like a fool in front of Dona, but I was afraid Rikku would tell the whole story to Tidus and he would think I was some stupid little girl… Yevon, why was everything so complicated?

"Well, you may begin…" Rikku continued, looking at both of us.

Dona smiled sweetly at us and then bent her head down and started to write on the sheet. I sighed again and looked at the first question ― what does Tidus wear to bed? I closed my eyes for an instant, remembering the many nights I'd been with Tidus. _It was so sweet… He was so sweet… His smell, his touch, his taste… Okay, Yuna, stop rambling and focus on the question!_ I opened my eyes again and wrote my answer. It wasn't difficult; I'd never seen Tidus wearing to bed anything else but his boxers, not even in the winter. And he was never cold at night, I could tell from experience…

The next few minutes were spent in absolute silence; the only sound that could be heard was the pens scratching the paper. The next few questions were as simple as the first one: What does Tidus usually have for breakfast? When he was a kid, what was his biggest dream? What time of the day does Tidus prefer? What was Tidus' first Blitzball team? How old is Tidus' big brother, Shuyin? What was the name of Tidus' first girlfriend? And so on, and so on…

Finally, I put the pen down. "I'm done." I told Rikku.

"Me too." Dona also dropped her pen on the table, delivering her answers to my cousin.

"Okay, ladies. Now, I'll ask Tidus the same questions and I'll give you the results… let's say, tomorrow?" Rikku looked at us interrogatively.

"Oh, don't bother, Rikku." Dona said, crossing her legs. "I took the liberty of calling Tidus myself and asking him to come over here. He must be showing up any second now."

"You did what?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I mean, I had been trying to avoid Tidus all week and now Dona, above all people, invited him to _my_ house! Something was definitely wrong in the Farplane!

"You heard me, Yuna…" She waved her hand as if dismissing the subject and threw her tresses behind her back again. Suddenly the doorbell rang. "Well, it must be him!"

"Why are you so impatient to lose, Dona?" Rikku asked with a small smirk.

"I wouldn't throw the victory party just yet, Rikku. You may find that you didn't win, after all…" Dona said calmly. I was actually surprised with her coolness.

Rikku opened her mouth to say something else, but the bell rang again and she changed her mind, going to open the door.

"Whoever it is, I can assure you it isn't Tidus." I said quietly when I heard Rikku's voice raising. Soon it was followed by Brother's voice yelling in Al Bhed. "It's my cousin, Brother." I explained.

Dona made a puzzled face. "Make up your mind. Is he your cousin or your brother?" I had to laugh. "Are you making fun of me?"

"No, Dona, I'm not." I said, still giggling. "It's just that you got it wrong. Brother is my cousin, and Rikku's brother but… and don't ask me why 'cause I have no idea… everyone calls him Brother since I can remember. I guess his Al Bhed name is too difficult to pronounce or something…"

"Oh." Dona laughed too and for the first time it wasn't a laughter of disdain. She was actually laughing with me, not at me… I looked at her, surprised. Suddenly she looked much younger; I wondered how old she really was… maybe seventeen, eighteen years old. While laughing she even seemed nice and for one moment I could understand why Tidus was her friend. _Friend_. I smiled, they were just friends…

The yelling in the hall stopped abruptly and we both looked in that direction. Seconds later, Rikku was re-entering the room with Brother still after her and… Tidus.

"Hey, ladies, what's up?" He smiled at us and I gulped, while Dona stood up and went to kiss him on the cheek. "I found these two arguing in the hall with the door still opened. Can you believe it?"

"Yeah, we heard the screams." Dona gave him her trademark smirk, so different from the one I'd seen earlier. I found it strange ― it was almost as if she was trying to be someone different in front of Tidus, like she was showing off to impress him. _Maybe she is…_

"Well, I wouldn't be screaming if Brother hadn't forgotten his key again, acting like I'm his slave!" Rikku snapped, folding her arms across her chest.

Brother was going to say something more but then he saw Dona and that silenced him immediately. "Hello…" He said with his strong accent. She glanced at him with a superior look on her beautiful features and turned again to Tidus without even answering my cousin. But Tidus wasn't looking at her, for his gaze was fixed on none other than me. We hadn't seen each other since Jecht's funeral (I was avoiding him, remember?) and our conversation back then had been pretty… well, final. I could completely understand if Tidus didn't want to ever speak to me again… But I knew I had to speak to him, I had to find the courage, I had to tell him so many things… But why would I talk to him and explain things if I didn't want things to change? Or did I? Well, at least I owed him an explanation, like Lulu had said…

"Anyways, why did you call me here, Dona?" He asked, averting my gaze and turning his beautiful eyes to Dona again.

"Well, it's nothing too serious, actually." Dona said. "Rikku's just making a little project about you and she has a couple of questions she would want you to answer. It's for her high-school newspaper and so I told her I would help and I called you… No big deal as you can see."

_I'm surprised at how good of a liar she is. No wonder she can constantly play a role in front of Tidus. She should definitely try the acting career… Oh, here I am again, rambling endlessly…_ I focused back on reality. Tidus was already seated at the table, answering Rikku's questions with pleasure ― he would never refuse to help a friend, especially when we were talking about one of his closest friends like Rikku. By the time they were over the 'interview', as Dona had called it, Brother had already left to his room (apparently not even the sight of Dona could keep him in his sister's presence for long…), Dona had sat once again and I was still in the same position, staring into nothingness.

"Okay, that's all!" Rikku exclaimed, giving Tidus a high-five. "This will be of great use, I can assure you."

"Well, Rikku, I'm just glad I could help you." Tidus grinned broadly. "And I'm glad you and Dona are… getting along." He continued.

Rikku made a face. "Yeah, well we're not―"

"We're still getting to know each other!" I interrupted my cousin, faking a big smile. I couldn't let Tidus know the real reason why Done was in my house and I really didn't want to disappoint him right now. He was genuinely happy with the idea that we were getting along… "But I think we're starting to… understand each other, isn't it right, Dona?"

She eyed me indifferently. "Yeah, whatever."

Tidus looked a little confused, but I smiled reassuringly and he nodded, smiling too. Apparently, he still talked to me… Maybe he still wanted to be my friend, whatever that word meant between us.

"Well, Tidus, you can go do whatever you have to do, now…" Rikku said, gathering the sheets of paper with our answers and Tidus'. "I'll go work on this information, okay?" She winked in our direction and then ran up the stairs, leaving Tidus, Dona and I alone, looking at each other uncomfortably.

"Well, if I didn't know better, I'd say Rikku was kicking me out…" Tidus laughed.

"Maybe she was." Dona said plainly.

"Of course not!" I laughed nervously. "She's just anxious to finish the work, that's all. And she was probably just worried you'd have other things to do, I think." I continued.

"Yeah, I got stuff to do. I think I better go." Tidus said, getting up.

"Oh baby, will I see you tonight?" Dona asked, lifting her gaze to meet his and tugging at his shirt.

"I don't know, Dona, I was thinking… Shuyin and I had already planned staying in for the night…"

"Maybe I could go meet you at your brother's house." Dona offered. Yevon, could she be more obvious?

"I don't think that's a very good idea, Dona. It's gonna be just a guys night, ya know…"

Dona looked a bit disappointed. "Oh, okay. Then, I'll see you tomorrow…" She said, trying to smile.

"Yeah, see ya tomorrow." He answered, winking at us. "Don't bother, Yuna, I know the way out. See you." And with that he left the room. Seconds later we heard the front door closing.

"Alone again…" I said, looking around the room.

"Yes. Will your cousin take long?" She asked, with the same old superior look of hers.

"C'mon, Dona, drop the act!" I told her, tired of her way of acting towards me. She wasn't my friend, but that didn't mean we had to be enemies, right? "You can pretend to be oh so good around Tidus, but you don't have to do it in front of everyone else! Why do you do it in front of Tidus anyways? Do you want to impress him? And do you think you'll go far with that strategy? Tidus always loved spontaneity and people who are true to themselves, not people who act around everyone not letting anyone know who they really are."

"Shut up!" She said, shocked with my words. I think she wasn't expecting me to be so blunt and frank towards her.

I was going to continue, but Rikku came down the stairs. "Okay, guys, it's ready!" We both looked at each other and then at Rikku. She noticed the animosity between us but didn't waste any time on it. "Do you wanna know the results?"

"Of course!" I told her. Dona nodded her agreement.

"Well, it's pretty strange actually, but you… Well, there's a tie. You both got 23 correct answers and 7 wrong."

"What?" We asked in unison. A tie wasn't certainly the result we were expecting.

"Well, it's true. For instance, Dona said that Tidus favourite food was steak and fries and Yuna said it was pancakes with chocolate; Yuna got it right. But then Yuna said that Tidus usually had pancakes for breakfast and Dona said he had cereals and Dona was the one who answered correctly… And it goes on." She handed the sheets with our answers corrected.

"Okay, this is weird…" I muttered.

"And it's probably wrong." Dona argued. "I ain't gonna stay here and listen to you. I know how well I know Tidus and that's good enough for me!" And with that she got up, grabbed the papers and left too.

Rikku looked at me. "Crazy chick, huh?"

I narrowed my eyes in the direction Dona had left. "Actually, I think there's more to it than just crazy, Rikku. But I don't think she'll ever tell us…" _And how I wish I knew…

* * *

_

A/N: So how was it? Not too bad, I hope :) Now you can see the reasons behind Yuna's behaviour… I hope you got to understand her a little better, because I was getting disappointed that you really didn't understand her… Well, anyways, tell me what you think of this chapter, okay? See ya soon… hopefully.

P.S.: Any reviews will be answered through this new system they created. I'll go try it now. :)

P.P.S. – I can't answer anonymous reviews so… I'd like to thank to Crisyah, she was exaggerating as usual ;-) and I would like to tell Jen that people act differently regarding their feelings and their relationships. I'm sorry you had to go through suffering and pain but it is your choice to accept you boyfriend back. I can tell you I would never do that and Yuna neither, at least in this story. It doesn't mean she loves Tidus less, it just means she's strong enough to say no to something she knows would make her suffer.

Any other anonymous reviews I would ask them please to leave their e-mail so I can answer them. Thank you so much.


	20. Chapter 19: Sunrise

15

A/N: Hey everyone! I know, I know, you want to kill me for not updating faster, but it was not my fault, really! Blame the school if you want… They're vile and cruel and made me work during the holidays! It's true! But anyways, you probably think I deserved it for not updating, so… :-(

Anyways, this chapter is full of surprises, and I made it extra special for you guys. Think of it as a late Christmas gift ;-) Hope you enjoy it!

_**Chapter 19**_

_**Sunrise**_

Next Thursday, I walked through the school corridors, heading for my next class. Lucky me, it was Religion of Yevon (please notice the sarcasm). I groaned as I watched the teacher walking into the classroom with her small shoulders bent forward and her huge glasses covering most of her little face, making her eyes look a lot larger and even more watchful.

"So, students," she started as the class settled for yet another boring class. "Today, we are going to talk about Lady Yunalesca and Lord Zaon, two of the most important icons in our religion."

I sighed deeply, leaning on my chair in the back of the room and looking at Paine, who was sitting by my side. She was staring blankly ahead, her arms folded on her chest and her face unreadable. Whatever she was thinking, it sure wasn't about Yunalesca or Zaon…

"What?" she asked, catching my gaze and arching an eyebrow.

I smiled and shook my head, looking down at my notebook. Big mistake! The first thing I saw was the sheet of paper I had stuck in there a few days ago ― the paper that contained my answers to that silly quiz I had made about Tidus. Unable to take my eyes out of the words, I held the paper in my hands, reading it for the hundredth time. Once I had finished, I closed my eyes, sighing again. Why couldn't I let go of the memory of that day? Why couldn't I simply rip that paper to pieces and just forget what had happened? It almost seemed as if I liked to suffer, to remember my insignificance, to remind myself that I… well, that I didn't know Tidus anymore. I know I shouldn't take it so personally, but the result of that quiz was really getting on my nerves; even though it had been a tie, it felt like Dona had won ― her results were meaningless to me, but the fact that she knew Tidus as well as I did left me a little shaken. And I knew why ― it was because suddenly I wasn't the only one to know Tidus, it was because Tidus had changed and it was Dona who had been there to see those changes and not me, it was because all of my resolve and my confidence had been broken down once again…

I snapped back into reality when Paine elbowed me hard on the ribs. "Ouch! Why did you―?"

"Miss Yuna." I heard the teacher call and snapped my head to look at her. Apparently the whole class was staring at me, what made me believe that the teacher had called me more than once. "Do you, by any chance, know what we are talking about?"

"Of course I do, professor. We're talking about Lady Yunalesca and Lord Zaon." I responded promptly. I was sure that that was not the answer she wanted to hear from me, but I couldn't let her know that I was paying no attention whatsoever to her class.

"That is a brilliant conclusion, Miss Yuna." She said ironically. "But would you mind giving us a little more detailed perspective of this subject?"

I rolled my eyes mentally and sighed inwardly, preparing myself to give her the "more detailed perspective" she had asked for and spending the next fifteen minutes talking about Yunalesca's story. When I finished, she shrugged and turned her back to me, heading to her desk.

"That was not a bad answer, Miss Yuna, but I'm afraid you got a little carried away. I was expecting a summary, not an extended version of the story of this lady from whom you have inherited the name. Next time, remember this: you are only a student here…"

I felt my cheeks burning and clenched my fists, but remained silent. I knew that she was expecting me to reply so she could accuse me of rudeness or disrespect ― that was the only reason why she was trying to humiliate me this way… It was not my fault I had been in a religious boarding school and probably knew more about Yevon than she did. I was good, she knew it. But she also knew I hated her and her classes and so she would pick on anything she could just to have something against me… I hated her so much! If only I didn't have to go to those classes and still pass at Religion of Yevon…

I was still infuriated when the bell rang, a few minutes later, and a collective sigh was heard all over the room, showing the students' relief. I gathered my things and walked to the exit as quickly as I could, so I wouldn't have any unpleasant encounters…

I waited for Paine on the outside and noticed that some people would look at me through the corner of their eyes as they made their way out of the classroom.

"You did pretty well in there." I turned to see Paine's crimson eyes staring intently at me.

I smiled. "Thank you. I thought I was going to burst from anger, but then, fortunately, I was able to control myself…"

"Yeah, you did what you should."

I nodded and we starting walking together, heading for the cafeteria for our lunch break. When we entered the room, there was already a throng of people standing in line, waiting for their turn to be served the cafeteria food. Paine and I walked into line and when we finally got our trays full, we looked around the room, trying to find a free table.

"Hey, you two! Come sit here!" Gippal yelled from the other side of the cafeteria, waving frantically at us.

I waved back and we swiftly crossed the crowded room, reaching him. He was sharing a table with Baralai, Nooj, LeBlanc and two other youngsters (two skinny blonde girls that I could bet were LeBlanc's friends). Paine and I sat down, greeting everyone ― well, I greeted them; Paine just acknowledged their presence with a small nod.

"So, ladies, how's your day so far?" Gippal asked, grinning at us.

"Not so good…" I muttered, opening my bottle of water.

"What happened?" Baralai joined the conversation, furrowing his brow in concern.

Paine looked at me and summarized what had happened in the class, but I wasn't hearing them anymore. I wasn't even thinking about the class anymore ― I was thinking about that stupid quiz once again. I should have never done it! Now I couldn't stop thinking of it, about what I had done, about what it had proven me ― that I wasn't that important in Tidus' life anymore. And if I wasn't, then I wasn't sure if I should talk to him or not… What if he'd just laugh at me? Maybe he was already over me and our past was buried; after all, Dona was so much prettier and more impressive than me… I was just a regular girl, she looked like a superstar!

_Stop being so stupid, Yuna_, I slapped myself mentally. Why was I afraid of Dona now? Tidus had made quite clear that he and she were nothing but friends. And he had also made clear that he wasn't over me just yet… So, why was I so afraid all of a sudden? Why was I feeling so insecure again? My conversation with Lulu had been so definitive, and now I was taking a dozen steps back, frightened with something I could not even name… Just because I had failed to answer some silly questions about his life, that didn't mean I didn't know him anymore. And what if Dona had answered right as many times as I had? Rikku had said that even _she_ could answer most of those questions, so… I was the one who was just looking for a reason to cowardly back down and do nothing…

But I really should stop being such a child and find the courage to go talk to him. I hadn't been okay since he… no, not since he had returned, but since he had left… And I knew I had to tell him, if I ever wanted to find peace of mind again. I needed to tell him how I was feeling and what had made me do what I had done. I really needed to talk to him…

-----XX-----

The first thing I did when I got home that afternoon was destroy the paper with the quiz's answers, shredding it to tiny pieces. I knew it by heart by now but I needed to make it disappear, as if my doubts could disappear with it. I was still ripping it apart when Rikku entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Yunie, guess wa― What are you doing?" She asked with surprise, taking a step forward to have a better look.

I turned to her, closing my hands behind my back. "Nothing, Rikku. So, what did you want to tell me?" I asked her with a smile, changing the subject and throwing the papers into the trash discreetly.

She eyed me closely and then shrugged. "Well, it was nothing important, actually. It's just that Gippy invited me to dinner tonight and it's the first time he takes me out to dinner and I think we're evolving in our relationship and…"

I smiled and sat down on a chair, preparing myself to hear her babbling endlessly about her relationship with Gippal. I was so glad she was happy ― they were together for a month now and they were more united than ever, even though they still liked to tease each other to no end. But that was their way of being happy; after all, not everyone could have a calm relationship like Lulu and Wakka or a romance full of love like I had had with Tidus…

Tidus. Why had I thought of him again? Why was I _always_ thinking of him? For Yevon's sake, he wasn't that important; he _shouldn't_ be that important! And yet I could not deny the fact that he was always on mind. I really needed to get this solved…

With that thought I stood up abruptly, making Rikku stop whatever she was saying ― I know I was being an awful cousin but I had stopped listening to her words about five minutes ago… ― and look at me with a stunned expression. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie, nothing's wrong." I told her reassuringly. "It's just that I remembered right now that I have to go… I… I just... have to go. I'm sorry." I repeated, leaving the kitchen and grabbing my jacket and my purse on the way out.

I don't remember what I thought during the way to Shuyin's apartment. I just know I was determined to not give up this time ― I would go all the way and I would have a nice adult conversation with Tidus. When I got there I turned off the engine and locked the car, walking to Shuyin's door and knocking twice. No one answered for a while and I knocked again. Still, I got no response. Weren't they at home?

_Crap! What should I do now?_ I asked myself, looking around. There was no one nearby and to tell the truth waiting there on the hall wasn't a very appealing idea. Maybe I should go wait in the car. Or maybe I should just leave and come back later. Yes, that was what I should really do, I mean, I had no idea where Tidus and Shuyin had gone, or if they were going to take long… I could be there for hours just waiting and getting cold. No, I would go and I would come back later ― and I would call first, just to check if there was anyone home before coming over.

Slowly I made my way back to my car and unlocked it, climbing in and driving away from that block and back home.

-----XX-----

Another couple of days passed before I had the courage to go back to Shuyin's house. I knew I was being a fool, but it was much easier to lose the courage I had tried so hard to gain than to gather it again… I hadn't called like I said I would ― I figured that if I called saying I'd go there and then lost the nerve they would find it strange, so I decided to just show up and see if anyone was there…

So, in that exact moment, I was standing in front of Shuyin's apartment, my fist raised and ready to knock on the door. But before I could do it, the door burst open and Shuyin's figure emerged in front of me. "See you la― Yuna! What are you doing here!" He stopped midway and looked at me, surprise stamped in his blue eyes.

"I… I was here to talk to you… Are you going somewhere?" I stammered, clutching my hands behind my back and swaying a little.

"Yeah, actually I was going out." Shuyin said, still holding the door. "But if you need to talk…"

"No! I mean… I wanted to talk to you, but it's not _that_ important… It can wait! Really…"

He narrowed his eyes, like he could sense I was not telling the whole truth, but in that moment Tidus called from inside the house and he looked over his shoulder. Looking at me again, he said uncertainly "Listen, if you wanna wait, I won't be long…"

My heart skipped a beat. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for, but now that it was right there for me to grasp I was starting to hesitate, almost fearing it… "It's okay, Shuyin, maybe I should just―"

In that moment, Tidus face came into view as he approached the door to see what was taking Shuyin's time. "Hey, Yuna." He greeted me as he stopped right behind his brother.

"Hello, Tidus." I murmured, trying hard to sound casual. His presence had the power to make me feel nervous and calm at the same time. Strangely enough, I enjoyed the feeling, so I slowly turned to Shuyin, who was still waiting for my decision, and told him with a small smile. "I can wait here."

Shuyin's face turned into a huge grin and he kissed me lightly on the cheek. "You'll see it won't be that bad, lil' sis." Stepping out of the apartment he looked back and said "See ya soon, both of you."

Before we knew it he was in the elevator and out of our sight. It was only then that I realized I was alone with Tidus and that I finally had to do what I had to do, no matter how discouragingly it might be. He looked at me, smiling tentatively. "Wanna come in or do you prefer to wait in the hall?"

I laughed, trying to release the nervousness that was threatening to engulf me, and followed him inside. I took off my jacket and placed it on one of the chairs, going to sit on the couch.

"Don't worry, Shuyin will be here in no time, you'll see." Tidus stopped in front of me and eyed the empty seat by my side, maybe wondering if it would be okay to sit with me or not. Noticing his indecision, I moved a little so there was more room for him to seat. He smiled sincerely and took the seat. "So, how've you been?

I looked at him, taking a deep breath. His face was calm, his boyish grin always present in his features, his blue eyes crystal clear. I just loved those blue eyes of his, they were so bright and intense and yet so truthful and candid. I sighed, thinking I was beginning to lose my resolve again ― it was impossible for me to bring up the hurtful past when I was looking into a pair of eyes that yearned for the future…

"I'm okay." I said simply and then I added, feeling the need to say something more, "I mean, I've been really busy lately, because of school, but all in all I'm fine. You?"

"I'm okay too. Not as busy as you, though." We both laughed and then fell silent for awhile. Tidus was the first to break the silence. "Ya know, I never realized how beautiful Besaid is in the wintertime… I never really took the time to appreciate it. I was always… I guess I was so eager to leave that I didn't… I didn't take the time to enjoy what I had. I had to go and to come back to… see what I've been missing in the past two years."

I nodded my agreement. "Yes, Besaid _is_ beautiful. I realized it the first time I arrived here…" I smiled, reminiscing ― it was a sunny summer day and I was coming from Bevelle, one of the most ancient and beautiful cities in all Spira, but the moment I set eyes on Besaid, something inside me stirred and somehow I knew it then that this was the city where I wanted to be and that I would never leave… "Bevelle is my hometown, but Besaid… Besaid is the city of my heart."

Tidus didn't say anything for a moment and I glanced at him. He was staring blankly ahead, his expression unreadable. Maybe he too was remembering… Slowly, as to not disturb his thoughts, I reached out for his hand and held it lightly in my own. He didn't move, but I noticed a subtle change in his breathing ― maybe he was asking himself what the hell I was doing; I couldn't blame him, not after our last conversation about relationships. He was definitely not expecting me to act like this right now and to be honest neither was I… I mean, I knew I had to talk to him about our past, but that didn't mean I had to be nice and… and… and sweet with him.

"Tidus…" I started, adding a little more pressure to our entangled fingers. He turned his head in my direction and our eyes locked in a breathtaking moment.

"Why?" He asked, before I had the time to say anything else.

"What?" I blinked in surprise.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked again, his eyes serious and fixed on mine. "I mean, I don't understand… First you push me away and then you come to me… just to push me away again. I… I don't get it, Yuna. I wanna understand, but I don't."

"Then let me explain, please." I murmured, casting my gaze down and breathing deeply in an attempt to calm down. "I came here to explain myself."

"You did?" His voice was softer now and he squeezed my hand back, maybe to encourage me to go on.

I smiled a little; I really needed that encouragement. "Yes, I did. I want peace, Tidus, and―"

"I'm back, guys!" Shuyin's voice came from the door. Tidus and I almost jump in unison and we instantly let go of each other, falling in opposite directions on the couch. "Hey, what's wrong?" The blonde asked, approaching us and arching an eyebrow in confusion.

"Nothing's wrong, Shuyin." I said, almost too quickly, and feeling my cheeks burning; I could bet I was blushing like crazy.

Shuyin was moving his eyes from me to his brother and back to me, trying to understand what had been going on before he'd arrived. Maybe he was thinking that we were finally sorting things out and that everything was already okay between us for he smirked mischievously and said. "Sorry if I interrupted anything I shouldn't."

Two years ago I would've blushed elegantly and smiled shyly and Tidus would've laughed and punched his brother playfully; then Shuyin would leave the room and Tidus and I would go back to our kissing or hugging or snuggling… Today, there was just an awkward silence in the room.

"Did I say something I shouldn't?" Shuyin asked, finally realizing that Tidus and I hadn't made up yet.

"It's not your fault, Shuyin." I tried to smile to reassure him. "It's just that we… were caught by surprise with your arrival, that's all. Isn't it, Tidus?"

"Yeah, that's it." Tidus mumbled, not bothering to hide that he was somewhat annoyed with what had happened. Maybe he had hoped this to be a conversation we could have without interruptions and now… well, the moment had passed and we couldn't get it back.

I looked down at my hands firmly clasped together on my lap. I could still feel the warmth of his hand, his fingers entwined with mine, his soft caress on my palm…

"Yuna?"

"Yes?" I snapped my head to look at Shuyin.

"Wanna go talk to the kitchen?"

"Talk?" I blinked.

"Yeah, you came to talk to me, remember?" He furrowed his brow.

"Sure, Shuyin, it's true, it's true. Okay, if you―"

"You can talk here." Tidus interrupted me, standing up. "I'm gonna go for a walk."

"Are you sure?" Shuyin and I asked at the same time.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure. Don't worry, I won't take long." He added, grabbing his denim jacket and leaving the house.

Once he was alone with me, Shuyin pulled a chair and placed it in front of the couch, sitting on it. I was still looking over my shoulder to where Tidus had disappeared; I didn't want him to leave, I wanted him to stay, I wanted to finish the talk we had started… But I was also relieved that I hadn't to finish it; it was hard to deal with so much feelings and emotions like the ones Tidus and I had shared.

"So, girl, what did you want to talk to me about?"

I gazed at Shuyin. "I told you it was nothing big, Shu. It's just that we haven't talked much lately and I thought of coming here to check on you, to update the news." I joked,

"Well…" Shuyin laughed. "Things are going just fine."

"That's good to hear, Shu, really good." I told him with a smile.

We stayed there talking for another fifteen minutes, until Shuyin finally asked me what I believe he had been wanting to ask me since Tidus had left the house. "Yuna, when I arrived… you and Tidus… you were… talking, right?"

I sighed. "Yeah, Shuyin, we were talking. We were _just_ talking." I added "It's going to be really hard for me and Tidus to… you know, be anything more than we are right now."

"I know, Yuna. I'm not trying to pressure or anything, it's just that… You were right when you said Tidus missed us. He does. I mean, now he only misses you…"

I looked at my feet. "You think I don't know it, Shuyin? I do. But it's not that easy, nothing is that easy anymore… I want to mend some things and I want to―" I stopped and sighed. "But I just don't know how, Shuyin. It's complicated…"

Shuyin sighed too. "I wish it wasn't. I know I was the one who was completely against Tidus' return, but now that we've talked and that I've discovered certain things… I was being a little unfair towards him. And now that I realize it, I just wish things could be better for all of us."

"Yeah, who wouldn't wish that?" I said sadly. "But I'm glad you two solved your problems." I continued, looking at Shuyin. "Now at least I know you aren't alone. Neither of you…"

He smiled and ran a hand through his hair. "Thank you for caring so much… for loving both of us so much."

I blushed, averting his intense stare. After a minute of silence or so, I spoke again, saying it was getting late and that even though I always loved to talk to him, I should probably just go home for the night. He accompanied me to the door and then waited until the elevator arrived to that floor. Before I entered it, I kissed Shuyin on the cheek and told him quietly "Look, Shu, don't get too hopeful with me and Tidus. There are many things that… keep us apart."

-----XX-----

I stepped out into the empty street and the cold winter breeze made me shudder. I pulled the long black coat closer to my body and started heading for the car, which was parked down the street. I was walking fast, for there was no one nearby and the night was cloudy and dark and I don't like to be alone in the dark, when someone grabbed my arm from behind and yanked me back. It happened so fast that I was even unable to scream or fight back because the moment I was ready to do both I found myself face to face with none other than Tidus.

"Are you trying to scare me to death?" I asked in a hushed tone, still trying to catch my breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He apologized, his hands resting on my shoulders.

"Then what were you trying to do?" I retorted ironically. I was angry with him because he had frightened me, but I couldn't help but feel relieved it was him who was there and only him… Finally, I relaxed a bit in his arms and my tone softened. "Just don't ever do it again, okay? I don't like being grabbed in the middle of the street at night…"

He softly caressed my shoulders before saying gently "I'm so sorry, Yuna, I didn't remember you don't like the dark… I'm sorry. You're okay?"

I looked up at him and smiled a little, nodding. "Yeah, I'm alright, thank you. But why did you grab me?" I asked as an afterthought, eyeing him inquisitively.

He blushed, or I thought he did ― I couldn't tell for sure because there wasn't much light on the street. Then, taking a deep breath, he said "I… I was… waiting for you."

"Why?"

"Because I―" He stopped and ran a hand through his hair. Under the clothes, my skin felt cold without the touch of his hand. "You said you wanted to explain, right? Well, I want to hear you out. I want peace too, Yuna, and I can't find it this way. I've tried but… I need to understand."

I was trying to hold back the tears. In the past, every time Tidus had come to me and talked to me this way, I had given him all my support and even my shoulder to cry on if he needed. But this time I knew I was the reason why he was like this and that was almost unbearable. I couldn't take it; that was why I had gone to talk with him, because I wanted to stop that heartache that was killing us both. Because I needed to make things clear and stop our suffering. And because I too needed to understand and see if he loved me still as much as I loved him… _Yes, I do love him._ I admitted to myself. _I can't deny it anymore._

Without thinking twice, I closed my eyes and raised my arms slowly, putting them around his waist and embracing him softly. I could hear him gasp ― maybe he was thinking I had gone crazy, after all that was the second time that day I was acting tenderly towards him, something I had fiercely refused to do before. But I couldn't help it; I had missed him so much. I don't know how long it was before I felt his arms encircling my shoulders and pulling me closer to him; I smiled into his chest and sighed contently.

After a long moment, I released him and looked up into his bright eyes ― there was so much emotion contained in them. "I want to understand certain things too…" I whispered gently. "Let's talk, okay?"

He nodded, still holding me in his arms. "Can I take you somewhere?" He asked me out of the blue.

I arched my eyebrows and smiled hesitantly. "I think so…"

He gave me that boyish grin I loved so much and we started heading for my car, one of his arms still over my shoulders. We reached the vehicle in a matter of seconds and he let go of me just to open the passenger door for me. "I'll drive, okay?" he asked, as I climbed in.

I couldn't stop wondering where he was going to take me, as we were driving through the city streets. We were both quiet ― words were not needed at that moment; they would come later and they would be many, but for now, the silence was welcome. I was looking out the window, trying to figure out our destination and suddenly I felt his warm hand reach out for mine and our fingers were once again intertwined. I didn't look at him; I didn't need to, I knew he was smiling just like me.

When Tidus took a secondary road that led to the hills, I turned to him, surprised. "Where are we going, Tidus?"

He smiled broadly. "You'll see. I think you'll like it." Then he looked at me and his smile faded a little. "And it's a quiet place. We can talk there and no one will disturb us."

I nodded and turned to the window once again. About thirty minutes later, Tidus stopped the car on the edge of the road and turned the engine off.

"We're here." He announced, getting out of the car. I followed him out and braced myself against the coldness of the night. He stood before me and eyed me intently. "Do you have a blanket or a mantle in the car?" He inquired.

"In the trunk." I answered with a nod.

He opened the trunk and searched for the blanket. When he found it, he closed the trunk and approached me, draping the blanket around my shoulders and tugging it close to my body. Then he locked the car and put the keys in his pocket, taking my hand and leading the way into the woods.

"Where are we going, Tidus?" I asked again, a little distressed. I didn't like the idea of being alone in the woods at night. What if someone stole my car? What if someone robbed us?

"I'm with you, Yuna." Tidus said simply, as if reading my mind. "I'll take care of you, okay? Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise."

His words were so sincere that I believed them and let him take me with him. He had said I was going to like the place we were going and I couldn't help but to agree with him when the trees gave way to a fantastic view of the whole city with its many lights and dark buildings. I looked around and realized immediately where we were ― we were on the same cliff where Tidus had taken me the day he had left to Zanarkand. I looked at him, surprised.

"You remember this place, don't you?" He asked with a half-smile.

"Yeah, I do. I haven't been here in a long time, but I can see it hasn't lost its beauty…"

"C'mon, let's sit down."

We sat on the grass near the trees, facing the city lights, our backs to the woods. We remained in silence for a moment, taking in the view and maybe wondering who was going to be the first to speak. Maybe we were waiting for the other to start, but none of us had the courage to do it. Finally, I cleared my throat and turned my gaze towards Tidus. He was already looking at me.

"You know you're beautiful under the moonlight?"

"Thank you." I said shyly, blushing.

He smiled. "You're welcome."

Another comfortable silence. How could one of us break such a peaceful moment like that? But we were just postponing the subject and we shouldn't. "Tidus," I began, not very certain of what I was going to say, "I know you may think I'm crazy because sometimes I push you away and other times I'm… hugging you and coming out here with you." I smiled a little, staring at the sky. The clouds had faded away and now the stars were visible in the velvet blue. "What I mean is… and please don't interrupt me or I won't be able to say it… is that I'm not crazy."

"I never thought you were."

"I asked you not to interrupt."

"I just thought of making that clear before you start."

I laughed heartedly. "Yeah, okay… But now, seriously, I didn't know why I was acting the way I was acting until very recently. I mean, I think I always knew, but I was too afraid of admitting it. I was deeply hurt when we broke up…"

"When _you_ broke up with _me_." Tidus pointed out. But this time there was no accusation in his voice.

"Yes, when I broke up with you." I repeated gravely.

"And I never understood why." Tidus continued.

I didn't reply. Instead, I asked "Why did you stop calling me? Or writing? Or visiting? Or…" _Or loving me?_

"What do you mean? I only stopped calling when you told me not to do it and the letters too. And visiting… well, you knew it was hard but every time I could I came to Besaid. But then you put an end to our relationship and I knew that coming here would be a mistake because it would hurt me really bad and I would never be able to forget you…"

"And have you?" I bit my lip, but it was too late; the words had already flown out of my mouth. _Do I really want to know this?_, I asked myself, not sure if I wanted him to answer me.

"What?"

Now it was too late to go back or to pretend I hadn't said anything, so I reiterated "Have you forgotten me?"

"Do you think I have?"

"Well… there are many girls out there who would do anything to be with you. Maybe one of them could have stolen your heart and―"

"I don't want any of those girls you're talking about…" Tidus said in a whisper, his eyes fixed on the nothingness ahead of him.

"Why?" I questioned, looking at him.

He took some time before answering me. "Because those girls see nothing but my fame and my money and my good-looks." He turned his head and our eyes met "I want someone who sees the real me behind all that… I want someone who knows me from the beginning."

I averted his deep gaze. "Maybe you want someone who doesn't exist... Maybe the one you think that knows you doesn't know you after all… Because if she'd known you as good as you think she does, she would have never, ever doubted you."

"What do you mean?" He furrowed his brow.

"You wanna know why I broke up with you?"

"Was it because of doubts?" He asked wittily, reaching out to touch my hand with his warm fingers.

I nodded, my eyes filling with tears. How could I tell him? And yet I knew I had to. I took a deep breath. "I was just a child back then, Tidus. Just a silly teenage girl with lots of doubts. You were my first real boyfriend and then… you left me. I tried to hold on, but it was really hard and then one day… one day I..." I trailed off.

"You what, Yuna?" Tidus questioned, his fingers squeezing mine to reassure me. He really needed to know.

"I saw you on a magazine with another girl." I said, allowing the tears to fall down at last. A wave of relief swept through me; now I had finally said the truth to Tidus.

He didn't explode, didn't deny, didn't even move… He just stayed there, motionless, looking at me like he was seeing me for the first time. Then, slowly, he uttered "What?"

"I saw you kissing another girl on a magazine." I was calmer now and maybe I could explain everything to him. "I don't know if it's true or not and that's not really the point here, but―"

"Of course it's not true!" He exclaimed, finally reacting. "I never cheated on you, I would never―"

"I didn't say you did, Tidus!" I interrupted. "The photo could be forged and the girl could be a fraud. I'm not saying otherwise."

"Yes, you are. If you broke up with me because of that, you are saying you believed it to be true and you thought I cheated on you. You doubted me." He finished, disappointed.

"I won't say that the thought didn't cross my mind back then." I admitted. "I was really insecure, the distance didn't help, and then when I tried to talk to you about what I had seen… well, you never had the time for me; you were always too busy. I was just a girl, Tidus, I needed you and you weren't there. I couldn't handle the pressure. I didn't lie to you when I said the distance was unbearable… That's the main reason why I broke up with you." I sighed deeply. "But to tell you honestly, I had the secret hope that you would come back to me… that you would fight for our love. But you didn't and that's what really hurt me above all other things. The fact that I wasn't important enough… _we_ weren't important enough…"

I couldn't focus Tidus because the tears had blurred my vision but I could see he had approached me and he was now hugging me with all his strength, pulling me to him like he never wanted to let me go. "I'm so sorry, baby. I never thought you'd feel that way… I guess I was just… so hurt and disappointed that I… never really thought about what you were feeling. I just thought you didn't love me anymore and that you were… I thought you were just toying with my feelings… it was so painful losing you that I… I just wanted to forget you. But I couldn't. I could never forget you, Yuna. Never."

I cried on his shoulder for what seemed an eternity, just hearing him out, apologizing over and over again. On one hand, I felt I deserved to hear him apologizing. On the other hand, I realized there was no need to. We both had made mistakes, and if he was apologizing for his I should also apologize for mine.

"I'm sorry, Tidus. I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying to protect myself and I guess I ended up making both of us suffering even more. And these last weeks have been the same. I keep trying to push you away to protect myself."

"From me?"

I shook my head. "From the pain. Every time I ran, I was not running away from you, I was running away from the pain, without knowing it lived inside of me and it wouldn't go away unless I cleared things up with you. I need you to forgive me and I need to forgive you… Only that way will we be able to put a stop to this useless situation we're in."

"You don't need me to forgive you, Yuna, because I… I mean, I thought I was angry with you and I was over you and…" He ran a hand through his blonde locks. "But the moment I saw you again I realized I still loved you madly, deeply, endlessly… You were so peacefully sleeping and you looked like an angel and―"

"Sleeping?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "We only met at Lulu's."

He turned red. "So you don't remember?"

"Remember what?" I swallowed hard. Maybe I did remember, but I needed to know what he was talking about.

"The night I went to see you. You were the first person I went to visit when I arrived. I know it was the middle of the night but I had to see you, I had to know if… if you still felt anything for me at all. But you were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you. And then you opened your eyes and called my name and kissed me and I knew you loved me. But when we met at Lulu's…"

"I was cold as a stone and you got confused. That's why you treated me so nicely, like we'd seen each other the day before. Because we had. Only I thought it was just a dream of you."

"A dream?"

I nodded, biting my lower lip. "Yes, just one of my many dreams of you… And it was true!" I shook my head. "I still can't believe it…"

Tidus smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, caressing my cheek with his thumb and wiping the tears away. "So much has happened since then… Who would say it was just a few weeks ago?"

I returned the smile, leaning into his hand. "Yeah, it seems like a lifetime… I was an idiot for not telling you earlier about the magazine…" I continued after a short pause.

"And I was an idiot for not realizing something was wrong before it was too late. You know, I never really cared about the fame… all I cared about was playing and doing my thing. I still love doing it. When I'm in the _sphere-pool_ there's nothing but me and the ball and… well, playing for the Abes has given me a huge pleasure, 'cause I've been able to do my best and to improve myself…"

"Blitzball really is your life, isn't it?" I asked with a smile.

Tidus looked at me intently and then stared into the heavens, not answering my question. He didn't need to, though; I could see the way his eyes shone every time he talked about Blitz. We stayed quiet for a long time, Tidus staring up and me staring at him. I loved his features ― the way his hair fell to his face in disarray, how his eyes narrowed in concentration, his chest rising with each breath, his full lips curving into a smile… It was then I noticed the silver earring. I had probably seen it before, but only now did I realize it had the symbol of the Zanarkand Abes. _His_ team. And it wasn't just the team he played for; it had always been the team of his heart, even long before I had met him…

"Look, a falling star!" He said suddenly, pointing up. I followed his gaze and saw the white trail the star was leaving behind it.

"Make a wish." I said softly.

Tidus looked down at me. "I'd wish tonight wouldn't end, but that's impossible, so…"

"Yes, that's impossible." I agreed. "But you can wish that tomorrow will be as good as tonight."

"That's a good wish." He whispered, leaning closer to me until our heads were mere inches apart. This time I didn't move or asked him to stop and when his lips touched mine, I smiled and gave in to the kiss, kissing him back. When we parted, Tidus asked softly. "So, this means there's nothing more to forgive?"

"I guess it does." I told him in the same quiet tone. "I won't say things will be as before, because there's much we've lost, but… I think we can start from the beginning and try to build something new from the ashes of the past."

"I would like that." he whispered back.

"Let's be more mature this time, okay? Let's not rush things, let's take all the time we need…"

"If you're saying you don't want a serious relationship right now―" Tidus began, his voice cautious and hesitant.

"No!" I interrupted him "That's not what I'm saying! What I mean is… we were a couple two years ago, but we're not a couple now. We need to get back the relationship we had, but we need to do it with time. That's what I'm saying."

His expression relaxed and he smirked. "Then you want me to gain your heart again?" He asked jokingly.

"I gave you my heart long ago, silly. But yes, I want us to start from the scratch. Think you're up to it?"

For a moment I feared he would say 'no'. But he just grinned and took me in his arms, planting another gentle kiss on my lips. "I'm up to everything you're up to, just as long as we're together."

And the moment I heard those words, I felt a huge bliss and my heart took off flying into the huge starry sky above us.

We stayed there for the rest of the night. I had shared my blanket with Tidus and he kept me warm with his body, his arms around my waist holding me tightly. We had talked for hours about anything and everything ― I guess we were trying to catch up with everything we had lost for the past two years ― but sleep had finally gained the battle and I had leaned against Tidus' chest, slowly closing my eyes and dozing off. Tidus awoke me a couple of hours later, gently calling my name. I started opening my eyes reluctantly, but the view that greeted me made me widened them, so I could take in everything that was in front of me.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Tidus whispered in my ear, pulling me closer to him and kissing my hair.

Before us, the sky was changing, its dark blue giving way to a soft pink and orange, the stars disappearing with the sudden light, the few clouds that remained looking like little pieces of pink cotton-candy. And the city… well, the city was waking up to the new day that was coming, the buildings shining with the sun, the city lights fading… It was really beautiful!

"The city lights go out one by one. The stars fade… It's kinda rose-colored, right? First in the sea, then it spreads to the sky, then to the whole city. It gets brighter and brighter, till everything glows. It's really… pretty. Just like you." Tidus finished with a sigh. I was surprised how he still remembered those words. "I told you I would bring you here someday, didn't I? Well, here we are. I just hope you liked it…"

"I loved it." I said, smiling, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you…"

"Anytime."

* * *

A/N: So what did you guys think? I hope you liked it. I mean, Yuna and Tidus finally made up. Finally! I know it took a long time, but well… they're together now… sort of…(I hope that answers your question, _Take Me or Leave Me_, because I've tried to sent you an e-mail but it failed for some reason :-( Sorry.)

Anyways, about the reviews, I'm going to reply with the new system they've invented, and any anonymous reviews that there might be I'll answer on my profile (I hope you don't mind me using your idea, Da KeR MysTeRr, but it's the best I've found so far :P ).

So, thank you for reviewing and thank you for not turning your backs on this story. I hope I'll be back soon with another chapter, but I can't make any promises :-( Sorry.

See ya soon and if you want to make me happy, click on the review button. Thank you ;-)


	21. Chapter 20: Secretly dating

A/N: Hey, everyone, I'm back!

I just want to say that this story is not over yet. There are still more four or five chapters after this one and don't worry – when it's over, you'll know it, and if you don't, I'll tell you ;-)

Enjoy chapter 20…

* * *

_**Chapter 20**_

_**Secretly dating**_

"Will I see you today?"

"You're seeing me now…" I smiled, taking my seat behind the steering wheel and looking up, to meet Tidus' gaze.

We had just returned from our trip to the hills and we were parked in front of Shuyin's building, where we had stopped so Tidus could go home to get some sleep. He had stayed awake all night long and he had been the one driving on the way back. Not that I was complaining ― actually, I was so used to drive all the time that it had felt really good to let someone else drive instead of me, especially because that someone had been Tidus and because we had been holding hands during the entire ride. I know that it sounds pretty silly and girly-like but… it was nice, it made me feel warm inside. I hadn't felt that good in a long time.

And now here we were.

"You know what I mean…" Tidus continued, holding the door with one hand, the other one placed on top of the car in a way that his body was completely blocking the way.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But we said we were going to take things slowly and… I don't know." I shook my head.

"So you're saying we're not gonna see each other?" Tidus asked. "Then, how are we supposed to develop a relationship?"

I laughed. "Well, maybe we're not."

His face turned serious. "What do you mean?"

"Well… nothing, really… I was just joking, Tidus. It wasn't…" I trailed off, sighing and running a hand through my hair. This wasn't going to be easy to handle… "Maybe we're just expecting too much of this new opportunity." I muttered.

"Yeah, maybe we are." He responded gravely.

I looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Tidus. I wanna make this work too, but… I'm scared. I'm scared of getting hurt again. That's why I don't wanna jump in without thinking, you know… why I wanna take things slowly…"

"I know, Yuna, I know. Do you think you're the only one who's afraid?" He stared at me, his deep blue eyes softening. "But I would never hurt you again… because my fear of losing you again is bigger than any other fear I might have. So I wanna hold on to you."

"Is that a love declaration?" I asked playfully, blushing.

He chuckled. "If you want it to be… So, will I see you today?"

How could I say 'no' to him after what he had just said? I mean, he was definitely the sweetest, loveliest, most romantic guy I'd ever met and he had just said he was in love with me. And I had already lost the school day, so…

"Okay." I finally agreed. "We can meet later. I need to go home, tell my uncle _and_ my cousin that I'm okay, take a shower and get some sleep… And then we can meet."

He beamed. "It's settled then. Give me a call when you're ready."

I nodded and started the car, but Tidus didn't close the door. When I turned to him to ask him what was wrong, he surprised me with a tender kiss on the lips, so soft I hardly felt it. I couldn't help but to smile. And suddenly, life seemed much better than before…

-----XX-----

"So, are we on for tonight?" Tidus whispered on my ear, coming closer to me and wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.

"Watch it! Someone may see us…" I giggled, taking a step away from him and turning around.

"C'mon…" Tidus pouted. "The guys are in the living-room, they won't—" He didn't finish the sentence though, because I captured his lips with mine for a swift kiss.

"Yes, we're on for tonight." I said with a soft smile.

He smiled back and gave me another kiss, longer and more passionate. I was ready to throw my arms around his neck when suddenly a sound made us come back to reality and about five seconds later my cousin was entering the kitchen. "Yunie, is the tea ready?"

Thankfully, we were already on opposite sides of the room, acting as if nothing had happened. "Yes, sweetie, the tea is almost ready." I answered, trying to catch my breath. "I'll bring it in a minute, okay?"

"Sure." Rikku grinned and turned to Tidus "What about you? Did you find the chocolate cookies?"

Tidus smiled nervously. "Yeah, Yuna was just telling me where they were…"

"Well, in that case, you don't need my help." Rikku said. "I'll tell the others that tea's almost ready!" She added, turning on her heels and getting out of the kitchen. The others were Gippal, Baralai and Shuyin, who were currently in my living-room, playing cards and watching TV while the rain kept falling on the outside.

I walked to the door to check if Rikku was really gone and then turned to Tidus, sighing. "That was a close one…"

He smirked. "Don't tell me you didn't like the rush…"

"Yeah, right, the rush…" I said ironically. "How could forget the rush? I was almost having a heart attack and you talk about _the rush_?"

He laughed and approached me, putting his arms around me again. This time I didn't fight it and leaned against his chest. He kissed my hair and said softly "Don't worry, Yuna, Rikku didn't understand anything."

I smiled, noticing the tenderness in his voice. He was always so sweet and gentle when it came to me, that I couldn't help but to love him even more. We had been seeing each other for a couple of weeks now, since the night he had taken me to watch the sunrise, and those had been the best weeks I'd had in a long time. Despite being together again, or trying to be together again, we had decided not to tell anything to anyone, not even our closest friends, and I was loving the secrecy in which we were living our hidden romance. Even though sometimes I got a little nervous, just like it had happened a few moments before, I was actually enjoying the rush, the adrenaline, the fear of being caught… It just made everything seem more intense, more real… And even though we had to be extra-careful around everyone else, our friends had come to realize that we were finally at peace with each other — no tension could be felt, no unspoken accusations, no anger kept inside… We had finally forgiven each other and now we were friends, or so they thought. Of course, some of them weren't so easy to mislead. I could often sense Paine's intense stare following our moves and I knew she had her suspicions; and I had been unable to lie to Lulu when I had gone to her place the week before, to tell her I had followed her advice. She didn't really fall for the 'friends' story and so I told her the truth, or at least half of it — that Tidus and I were still trying to understand our feelings and work things out, but we were taking our time doing it. She just nodded her agreement, with a very understanding smile.

The rest of the group was easier — Rikku and Gippal were too much into each other to notice anything going on around them; Baralai didn't mess with other people's business and what he watched he kept to himself; Wakka was having some problems at work, so he really didn't care at the moment; and Shuyin… well, it was really hard for us not to tell Shuyin, but I guess we were afraid that Shuyin would have many expectations and we really weren't ready to face any of them right now. So we kept our silence about us and no one knew we were secretly dating.

_Dating…_ I let the word linger in my mind, enjoying the sensation of being once again in a relationship, even though it was a secret one. Then, as if reluctantly waking from my reverie, I got away from Tidus and went to check if the tea was ready or not, but not before giving him another small kiss on the lips.

Five minutes later everyone was drinking mint tea, with the exception of Gippal who didn't like tea at all, and eating chocolate cookies and strawberry cake. The games had been interrupted and even the TV had been turned off and we were just chatting there, talking about everything and nothing.

"We could go out tonight." Rikku suggested, after someone had mentioned a party somewhere.

"When it's raining like this?" Gippal asked, pointing out the window to the heavy curtain of water that was falling from the sky.

"Well, inside the clubs it's not raining, you airhead!" Rikku said, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Yeah, but…" Gippal started again.

"No buts, Gippal. C'mon, I haven't danced since Luca…" Rikku pouted, looking at him with her huge green swirls.

We all saw his resolve fading. "Okay, Cid's Girl, let's go dance, if you want it so much… But I'm not really in the mood to go spend some cash, so we're going to Zouga's party."

"It's fine for me!" She exclaimed, beaming with excitement and throwing her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss full on the lips. I smiled and exchanged looks with Tidus, who was smiling back at me.

"Zouga…" Baralai said, thoughtfully. "Isn't that the guy who's in our Al Bhed class?"

"Yup, that's the guy!" Gippal answered. "He was inviting everyone at college this morning. I guess his parents went out for he weekend or something like that and so he has decided to throw this huge party. I really don't care, however — as long as there's free booze and chicks, I'm cool…" That last comment earned him another elbow in the ribs. "What?"

"Anyways," Rikku continued, completely ignoring Gippal and his offended look. "We can go check that Zouga's party and if we don't like it, we can always go somewhere else, right?"

She was looking at us and that made me realize that she wasn't planning a date with Gippal, she was planning a nigh with her friends. I looked at Tidus again; we had other plans for the night — a romantic dinner on the downtown and then a walk on the beach. The moment our eyes met, though, we knew at once that the dinner had to be postponed; Rikku was expecting us to go with her and we were not going to let her down. Besides, if we wanted to keep our relationship a secret, we had to be discreet and that meant we couldn't simply refuse our friends' invitations all the time, like I was aware we had been doing for the last few days.

"So, Shu, what do you say?" Tidus asked his brother. "Wanna go check some ladies out? I heard that college girls rock…" He added playfully, stealing a glance at me.

_He's trying to make me jealous_, I realized. With a mischievous smile, I said, throwing my hair back "Of course we rock! That's why tonight I'm going to be ready to party all night long!"

"Wow, that's new — Yuna pretending to be a party animal!" Gippal mocked me, laughing, and then added "Please, don't let that be a joke, 'cause now I really wanna see it."

"Gippal, shut up," both me and Rikku said at the same time.

The rest of the guys laughed and then Shuyin said "Well, it's my night off and I've never really been to a college party, so… I'm going. Besides, checking out the ladies sounds good."

Rikku grinned and turned to Baralai. "What about you, Baralai?"

"Come with us, Lai." Gippal invited. "It'll be fun and maybe it'll lighten up your spirit."

"Yeah, c'mon, Baralai."

"Okay, okay, I'll go." Baralai finally gave in.

"Great!" Rikku exclaimed. "Now all we need to do is call Nooj and Paine and—"

"I'm not sure if she'll want to go." Baralai interrupted, casting his gaze down. Things between him and Paine were getting worse with each passing day. Since the day we had met him with Anaïr, Paine hadn't spoken to him and was even avoiding and almost ignoring him, which was rather difficult because they shared a lot of classes and they were in the same group of friends. This was even more complicated, because it was hard for us not to take sides in this little war of theirs. Paine and Gippal had already had a huge argument because of that — she had ended up turning her back on him, saying that there were things he would never understand.

"Don't say that, Baralai." I told him, touching his arm to reassure him. I wished I could tell him everything was going to be alright, but I knew Paine and her stubbornness and she was determined not to speak to Baralai at any cost. I felt sorry for him, but somehow I knew Paine had her reasons for acting the way she was acting — after all Paine had never been this way to anyone before, which made me believe that Baralai was not just anyone but someone quite special, maybe not for the best motives… Still, he was my friend too. "I'll go see her and talk to her and you'll see she'll come." I continued, placing my cup on the small support table.

"I hope so. I'd hate to be the reason why Paine wouldn't enjoy the night with her friends." Baralai said sadly.

At that moment, Tidus cell phone rang and he took it out of his pocket, answering it. "Yup, it's me… Hey, Dona. No, I'm at Rikku's. Why?… Oh, is that so?… Sure, tell him I'll meet him for dinner… Yeah, I know I need to talk to him. It's just that I've been busy lately, that's all… Don't worry, I'll tell him. Okay… Yes, seven is fine. I'll be there… Okay, see ya. Bye." Tidus closed the phone and looked around. Everyone was looking back at him.

"What did she want?" Shuyin asked the question for me.

Tidus shrugged. "Nothing important. Auron wants to meet me for dinner. He wants to talk to me about… certain things."

"That's why Dona called you?" Rikku raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Couldn't Auron have called you himself?"

Tidus smiled. "Yeah, he could, but I bet Dona bugged him until he told her to do it. Dona is… Dona." He finished with a laugh.

"Yeah, and what a fine and hot woman she is!" Gippal remarked with a mischievous smile. Before Rikku had time to smack him again, though, he continued "So, Tidus, is she good or what?"

Tidus blinked twice. "What do you mean?"

"Gippal…" Baralai began in a warning tone.

"C'mon, don't tell me you got a woman like that coming on to you with all her might and you don't know what I'm talking about? What I mean is that you must've been with her in a more… intimate way. Is she as hot as she looks?"

"Gippal!" Rikku yelled. She wasn't looking at her boyfriend, though; she was staring straight at me.

Gippal followed her gaze and swallowed hard. I guess he must've forgotten that Tidus and I had dated — after all he hadn't been in Besaid during that year. Suddenly, all eyes were fixed on me and a tense silence fell over us.

Before I could say anything though, Tidus spoke again, calmly and relaxed. "C'mon Gippal, that's not the kind of conversation a gentleman should have in front of two ladies like Rikku and Yuna." Then he winked in my direction and added with a smirk "Besides, I never knew Dona in the way you're implying. She's nothing more than a friend."

"Did I hear it right!" Gippal was completely stunned. "_Just a friend_? I must be dreaming; that's it, that's the only explanation."

"Yeah, yeah, Gippal, you _are_ dreaming if you're thinking I'm letting you proceed with this!" Rikku reprimanded, getting up from her place next to him and coming to sit by my side. "You should learn how to use your brain before using your mouth, you know? _Eteud_ (idiot)."

Gippal didn't reply to the insult. Instead, he crossed his arms on his chest and let the conversation flow, not taking part in it — it was his way of telling Rikku he was upset with her. A few moments later, Rikku decided it was time to go get ready for the party and got up.

"When do you want me to come pick you up?" Gippal asked, not looking at her.

She hesitated for a moment, while approaching the loveseat where he was. "I don't know… What time do you prefer? I can be ready anytime you want." She finished in a soft tone. It was _her_ way of making up with him.

He looked up at her, giving her a half-smile. "Seven thirty. The party doesn't start before eight, but it'll give you time to be fifteen minutes late, as usual."

It was Rikku's turn to stay silent. She just bent down slowly and gave him a small kiss on the lips. She wasn't expecting Gippal's quick movements though, and when he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him she fell on his lap and what had begun to be a small kiss turned into a passionate tongue-battle.

"Well, while they're… enjoying the moment," Shuyin said, laughing, "I think it's better if we go. You still have to go to your dinner with Auron and I have things to do." He told his brother.

"Yeah, you're right, Shu." Tidus said, getting up. "Want a ride somewhere, Baralai?"

"No, thanks, I'm with Gippal. We live together, as you know…"

"Yeah, I know. Okay then. Before we go, Yuna, can you give me a glass of water? I'm thirsty." He said, looking at me intensely.

"Sure, Tidus, let's go." I got up and made my way to the kitchen.

He followed my lead and closed the door behind him, once we were inside the kitchen. "Come here." He said, grabbing my waist and pulling me towards him. His lips were warm on mine and his hands held me securely against his chest. When we broke for air I looked at him inquisitively and he said with a smile "I was getting jealous of Rikku and Gippal. I wanted to do the same with my girl."

"_Your girl_? Who told you I was your girl, Tidus?" I asked playfully, between small kisses.

"You. Long ago. You said you wanted to be my girl, remember?"

"Oh god, that was ages ago!" I laughed, remembering the day we'd kissed for the first time. Then I added as an afterthought, "I'm sorry for tonight. I know you had something special planned."

"It was no big deal, really. This party seems much more interesting, especially after your remark about being a party animal…" I laughed again, lightly biting is lower lip. "Then again, I'm going to have dinner with Auron. I bet he'll want to talk about Zanarkand." He sighed. "I've been avoiding this for the last… for the last two weeks actually. He must be pissed."

"He'll want you to return, won't he?" I asked, fearful of the answer.

Tidus sighed again and pulled me even closer to him. "If I don't give him a strong reason to stay here… yes, he'll probably want me to go. My job's there, my life's there… he won't understand."

I nodded, biting my lip. I really didn't want to think about Tidus' departure when I finally had him back in my arms again. "Let's not think about that right now, okay? Let's just focus on this party."

"Okay. I don't know if I'll be there on time, but I'll try. I promi—" I stopped him, placing two fingers on his lips.

"Don't promise. Please." I kissed him again, a soft kiss. "I love you no matter what. But this time I don't want us to be making promises we don't know if we'll be able to keep."

"You're right. Sorry."

"Don't be. Just tell me how much you love me." I hugged him tightly, never wanting to let go.

"I love you very, very much. Is that enough?" He asked, running his fingers through my hair.

I smiled. "I don't know, let me think… Well, I guess it'll have to do for now. Okay, it's enough. Now you must go before they start to suspect something."

"Okay, let's go."

He let go of me and we both got out of the kitchen. When we got to the living-room, Gippal and Rikku had already finished their make out session and Gippal and Baralai were also getting ready to leave. Rikku and I accompanied them to the front door and bid them farewell.

"We'll see you girls later." Gippal said, starting to descend the porch stairs. But the moment they turned around, Baralai froze. Paine was at the bottom of the stairs.

I heard Tidus whisper something in Shuyin's ear and they said goodbye one last time before leaving without looking back. When they walked past Paine, they both greeted her but they didn't stop. As for Gippal and Baralai, they waited until Paine climbed the stairs.

"S'up, Paine?" Gippal asked, running a hand through his hair.

She looked at him. "Hello, Gippal." Then she turned to me. "Can I talk to you, Yuna?"

"S-sure…" I answered, glancing at Baralai. His head was down and his hands closed into fists — she hadn't even acknowledged his presence! Suddenly he lifted his head and stared at her; determination filled his eyes.

"Hello, Paine. Before you talk to Yuna, can I have a word with you?" He asked politely, touching her forearm.

She turned her head to the side, to look at him in the eye. For a long moment I thought she was going to ignore him, but she ended up saying dryly "If you must. But please, hurry, I don't have much time."

"Privately." Baralai replied, turning around and starting to walk away. Paine stood still for a second, before following him without looking at us. They disappeared from our sight when they reached the corner of the house.

"What do you think they're talking 'bout?" Rikku asked.

"Curiosity killed the cat, Riks." I reminded her. "Come inside and let them have some privacy, okay?"

"Oh… You're a party-pooper, Yunie…"

-----XX-----

"Could you lend me your mascara?" Rikku asked, entering my room, where I was still getting dressed for the party.

"Sure, it's there on the nightstand." I pulled the black high heeled boots' zipper up and got to my feet, turning to my cousin. "What do you think?"

She stopped and looked me up and down, smiling approvingly. "Sweet!"

I made a face. "Sweet as in... sweet little girl or as in… ready to rock?"

Rikku laughed heartily. "Sweet as in beautiful and hot at the same time… Good enough?"

I nodded and turned once again to the mirror. I was wearing a fuchsia blouse and a short denim skirt with a silver chain hanging on my hip as a belt. Silver dangling earrings and my mother's necklace were the only jewels I had chosen and I had dried my hair in a different style that night. I was now applying the make-up. When I finished, Rikku entered my room again, giving me my mascara back.

"So, are you ready?" She asked, adjusting the straps of her orange halter-top. "Gippal's already downstairs."

Since Gippal was picking up Rikku, he had offered to take me and Paine too, and Baralai would go with Nooj and LeBlanc and they would meet us at the party, just like Tidus and Shuyin. Then, at the end of the night, Gippal would bring us back home.

Rikku and I descended the stairs and walked into the living-room, where Gippal awaited us. Paine joined us a couple of minutes later. I never got to know how the conversation between Baralai and her went, but I guessed it couldn't have gone that bad, because, once it was over, she met me in my room, but instead of talking, she just said that she was going to the party with everyone else. She didn't talk about Baralai and so neither did I, but I was hoping they had at least come to the decision of speaking to each other again, for the sake of our group.

We climbed into Gippal's convertible and hit the road. When we reached Zouga's house, the party had already started — there were kids everywhere, the lights of the house were all on and music could be heard even on the street. Gippal parked his car near the house and we got out, walking the rest of the way.

"Think the others are already here?" Rikku asked, holding Gippal's hand. I knew she was excited about this party — it would be her first college party ever and she wanted to see if it was that different from the high school parties she attended to.

"Maybe, let's see inside." Gippal answered, pulling her with him.

A strong and well-built guy opened the door for us when Gippal rang the bell. Apparently he wasn't the host, for the moment he opened the door he turned his back on us and darted away. We entered the house and made our way through the people — the house was crowded! _How are we supposed to find the others here?_

"Yuna!" I looked over my shoulder and found Shuyin walking in my direction.

Smiling, I waited for him. "Hey, stranger! Are you having fun?"

He returned the smile. "Yeah, I am. I haven't been in a party in so long that I almost forgot how great it is to just… relax and have fun."

"I'm glad you're liking it, Shu. See, this is the way I want to see you — smiling and laughing and having a great time."

"Yeah, well, I'm having a good time, but…" His smile faded and he bent his head, continuing in a sad tone "You know it's not easy to forget Lenne and our break-up is still very fresh. I can't help myself; I always end up thinking of her."

"I know." I gave him a hug. "But you can't think that way now. You must move on, Shuyin. I'm not saying you should find another girl, I'm just saying that you should try to… meet new people, make new friends. And who knows? Maybe it won't be that difficult then…"

"You're right as usual. It's not easy, but—"

"Hi, Yuna! I didn't expect to see you here!" A feminine voice said from behind me. I turned around to see who it was and found myself face to face with a very beautiful and elegant girl. Her black curls fell over her bare shoulders and her huge green eyes sparkled. She was dressed in a short black dress and was holding a beer in her hand.

"Kissara!" I greeted. Then I pointed at Shuyin and said "I'm with some friends…"

"Yeah, I can see that…" Kissara eyed Shuyin up and down and finally stretched her hand, smiling at him. "I believe we haven't been introduced yet. My name's Kissara, I'm a… friend of Yuna's."

Shuyin took her hand in his. "I'm Shuyin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kissara."

"Oh, please, call me Kiss…" She said seductively, winking at him. "It's much catchier, don't you think?"

I tried to contain an amused smile but failed miserably. "Listen, Kissara, can you just give me two minutes with Shuyin, here? Please." I asked, putting my sweetest and nicest face on.

She looked at me and after a moment she agreed, telling she'd go get us something to drink. I could bet that when she'd return she would only bring two drinks — one for herself and another one for Shuyin — and she would say she only had two hands. It was her way of getting _me_ out of the way.

"She seems… nice." Shuyin remarked, staring at her back while she walked away, swaying her hips with every single step.

"She is nice." I agreed, trying not to laugh. "That is, when you're a handsome, cute, nice guy. Or when you're a girl who happens to know a handsome, cute, nice guy."

"Whaddya mean?" Shuyin looked at me, frowning.

"Let's put it this way, Shu. Kissara is… well, she doesn't exactly like commitments. She's just looking out for some fun, you know… She's already dated almost every single guy at college, and it's usually just a one night stand. I'm not saying this to get you away from her or anything, it's just that I wouldn't go look for anything there but a night of pure sex."

"Maybe that's what I need." Shuyin joked, smiling wickedly.

"Maybe. I must also say that Kissara has a certain tendency for blondes. Gippal was one of— Kissara, you're back! And you only brought two drinks!" I noticed with a smile.

"Yeah, well, Yuna, I'm so sorry, but you know how it is. I have… small hands." She replied, unfazed.

"Sure you do. Well, Shuyin, I'm gonna try and find the others, okay? You staying here?"

Shuyin looked at Kissara for a moment. I could guess what was going through his mind — he had suffered a lot because of Lenne and he was still suffering, but they had broken up over a month ago and now there was this gorgeous girl hitting on him and flirting with him. And according to what I'd said to him, he didn't even have to worry about the girl's feelings because she was just looking out for some fun. Maybe this was in fact what he needed… Turning to me again, he smirked. "I think I'll stay here a little longer."

"Okay, sweetie. See ya later." I kissed him on the cheek and departed, leaving those two alone.

I spent the next hour walking around the house, meeting some people from college, averting people I'd never seen before in my life, drinking a little, dancing a lot… The living-room had been transformed into a dance floor, the furniture all moved aside to leave a big empty space in the center, where kids were dancing wildly, moving in sync with the beat. Gippal and Rikku were there, dancing together, as well as Nooj and LeBlanc. Baralai was nowhere to be seen and Paine was seated near a corner, talking to a friend from school. The only person that wasn't at the party — and the only person I was anxiously waiting for — was Tidus. I'd checked my cell phone several times but he hadn't said anything so far. I was starting to wonder if anything had happened, when he finally arrived, entering the room followed closely by…

"I can't believe this!" I muttered, shaking my head at the sight of Dona smiling by Tidus' side and Barthello behind them.

Shuyin had also seen his brother and had gone to meet him. They talked for a few minutes, but Tidus didn't pay much attention to his brother; his gaze was constantly wandering around the room, searching for something… or someone. I stood where I was, on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall and watching everyone dancing. From the corner of my eye, though, I kept glancing at Tidus and saw him walking in my direction. I looked away and pretended I hadn't seen him.

"Yuna…" He called, gently touching my arm.

I forced out a smile. I knew I was being ridiculous and stupid, but I couldn't help but to feel upset with Tidus. Dona had probably insisted and bugged him until he told her that she could come to the party with him, but still… Why had he brought her? Even though I knew there was nothing going on between them, and that I was the one he wanted and he loved, I still felt a little jealous of Dona. Maybe because of that quiz, maybe because looking at her reminded me how many things I didn't know about Tidus' life in Zanarkand…

"Are you alright, baby?" He asked, leaning in so that no one else would hear us. "You seem annoyed…"

There was no use in pretending, since he knew me all too well, so I just pointed my chin in Dona's direction and asked "Why is she here?"

Tidus smiled broadly, apparently amused. "Are you jealous?"

"Of _her_? You must be joking!" I replied, crossing my arms over my chest. "I thought we had already had this conversation."

"And we did. And I'll tell you now what I told you then — Dona's just a friend, she's Auron's niece and… C'mon, Yuna, do you really think that I would bring her just to upset you? She asked me to come and I couldn't say no in front of Auron; he would be suspicious of something. That's why she's here." Tidus uncrossed my arms and held my hands, looking me in the eye. "Yuna, baby… Please, don't be upset because of Dona. Please."

I gave him a small smile, to let him know that we were okay, and he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, bending down and planting a gentle kiss on my cheek. "Wanna get out of here?" I whispered, looking around the room. There were too many people there, too many indiscreet eyes that were just looking for something to gossip about.

"Sure."

Five minutes later we were on the most secluded side of the garden, seated on a wooden bench. There were little drawings carved on the white wood and I ran my fingers over them, leaning my head on Tidus' shoulder and smelling his masculine scent. _Some things never change_, I thought with a smile. _No matter how long it has been, he still smells like my Tidus._

"It's so quiet out here, isn't it?" Tidus asked, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me closer to him.

"Yeah. I confess I was getting tired of that party. The music is too loud, there are too many people, everyone's getting too damn drunk…"

"C'mon, Yuna." Tidus laughed. "You sound just like an old woman talking."

I giggled and looked up at the starry sky. "Yeah, right. Well, if you haven't noticed yet, I am getting old…"

His laughter made me turn to him once more. He was looking straight at me with his sweet, adorable azure eyes. "Well, you certainly don't look _that_ old… But that's just my opinion, right?" I smiled and he kissed me. When we parted, he continued, changing the subject, "Anyways, if you think this party is noisy and messy you should see the ones in Zanarkand."

My smile faded at the mention of that city and I looked away. "Yeah, I bet you had many wild nights back there…" I scolded myself for not being able to contain the bitterness in my voice.

A heavy silence fell over us. Apparently, Tidus didn't know what to say. From the corner of my eye I saw him running his hand through his already messed hair and then dropping it onto his lap, sighing heavily. "You know, Yuna, unlike what you guys might think, my time in Zanarkand wasn't all that great…"

I turned to him and eyed him closely, but he averted my gaze. I didn't know what to say. Zanarkand wasn't "all that great"? What had he meant? I had always thought Zanarkand were his dreams come true. "Tidus…" I called softly, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Don't look at me like that, Yuna." He smiled, lifting his head so that our eyes met. "I'm not unhappy or miserable… It's just that… Well, everyone thinks I'm so damn lucky with the life I got… But no one really understands. No one knows what it's like to be on the spotlight, unable to do whatever you want 'cause that can ruin your image and—" He stopped abruptly and drooped his head again. "Sorry. We shouldn't be wasting our time together talking about this…"

I left my seat on the bench and kneeled in front of him, taking his face in my hands. "Yes, we should, Tidus." I said carefully, looking straight into his bright eyes. "We should be talking about whatever makes you happy or sad, whatever your problem is, whatever you want to tell me… That's what we should be talking about. You know what they say — a shared burden is only half a burden… Even if I can't help you with your problems, I can at least listen to you and support you, no matter what."

He looked back at me, sighing heavily once more. Then he let out a small smile and put one of his hands on top of mine. "Thank you, Yuna. I… I haven't met many concerned or understanding people lately. It seems like… like everyone wants to take something from me and I'm always fighting against the world. Sometimes I just get so tired of it all…"

I sat again and he pulled my hand down to his lap where he grabbed it between both of his, playing with my fingers as he talked, something he had always done… He was now telling me about Zanarkand and his life there. Apparently, his life of superstar wasn't as easy as everyone had thought — he had had to fight hard to become the star player of the Abes, because the competitiveness between athletes was rough and not always fair; his private life was constantly being invaded by the press and when they had nothing solid they based their stories on false rumors (at his point I could not prevent myself from thinking about that stupid magazine that had brought me so much pain…); he had suddenly found himself with lots of money but without many friends — everyone wanted to meet him and be his "buddy", but no one really wanted to hear him out or help him if he needed; he had to do things he didn't really want to, like going to certain public events or advertising some product, because he was part of the team and he had to do what was best for the team…

"The funny part is that no one ever asked Mhiggel to do it. But I had to do it; I always had to do everything they said."

"You don't have to, now." I sad quietly, looking at my hand in his.

"But I will have to when I return…"

We remain quiet for a few moments, his fingers tangling with mine. I just didn't know what else to say. I wished I could comfort him in some way, but on the other hand I was just alarmed with the thought of Tidus going away again. I wasn't ready to lose him all over again… I guess I would never be ready.

"The only person I could rely on was Auron," he continued. "But he's so much older and so cold 'bout everything that sometimes I felt like it'd be useless to talk to him…"

"What about any others friends you might have there? What about Dona for instance?" I asked, remembering the black-haired girl.

He snapped his head back at me and I noticed he was trying to hold back a smile. "Dona?" He asked arching an eyebrow. Then he couldn't contain his laughter anymore. "That's funny."

"Why?" I try to act like I was offended, but his laughs were contagious and I found myself giggling too.

When we had both calmed down, he answered, a grin still plastered on his face, "You know Dona, Yuna. The girl doesn't think of anything else but clothes, shoes, make-up and guys. She'd never help me or have the patience to hear me."

"Yeah, well, you're probably right. She would be wanting much more than talk from you." I replied, a hint of jealousy in my voice.

Tidus smirked. "Well, whatever she would want, she'd never get it. Wanna know why?" His eyes locked on mine, but I didn't respond. Then, taking my hand to his lips and kissing it softly, he proceeded, "Because she's not you. And for me there's no one else, Yuna."

I melted with his words and leaned in, trying to show him all my love with a kiss.

* * *

A/N: Well, I know this is not a huge chapter, but think of it as a bonus chapter – because there's lots of love and kissing and hugging and, well, you get the picture ;-) – for everyone who's been sticking with me during the entire story, wishing Yuna and Tidus to be together again – now they are! This is for you, guys, thank you.

I'm already working on the next chapter and hopefully it'll be out sooner (I'm trying hard not to take another month or so, because I know how boring it is to wait. Sorry). So, now I'm leaving you to review (please, please :p ) and I'm off to go and work on chapter 21. See ya.


	22. Chapter 21: Revelations and poems

_**Chapter 21**_

_**Revelations, poems and a special request…**_

It was almost eleven o'clock when Tidus and I decided to go back inside. We had been out in the garden for about two hours now and our friends would start to worry about us if we didn't show up — after all, the house wasn't that big for us to be unseen for so long. Tidus entered the house first, so people wouldn't notice we'd been together, and I followed him a few minutes later, finding him chatting with Rikku.

"Hey!" I called, approaching them.

"Yuna," Tidus smiled at me. "You've just missed Rikku saving me from a hysterical girl—"

"Where have you been, Yunie?" Rikku interrupted, turning to me. "I've been looking for you all night."

"Well, you've found me." I grinned at her. Then I asked, "But what's that story of Tidus being saved?"

Tidus laughed and started telling me how a girl had recognized him as a blitzball player for the Zanarkand Abes and had begun to hit on him even after he had told her he wasn't interested. Fortunately, Rikku had arrived just in time to tell the girl to get lost, because Tidus already had a girl.

I arched my eyebrows. "You have?"

"Yeah, apparently I do. But Rikku refuses to tell me who she is."

"C'mon Tidus, I had to get rid of that girl and that was the first thought that cross my mind. I couldn't tell her it was me though, 'cause she knows I'm with Gippal… But don't worry, the girl I picked for you is great!" She added with a wink.

Tidus and I looked at each other, but before we had the time to continue the conversation, Barthello showed up, panting heavily. "Hey! You, have you seen Dona?"

Tidus shrugged, looking at the bodyguard. "Dona? Can't say I have. I've been out in the garden. Why?"

"I lost track of her! Damn it all!" He cursed. "I've got to find her!"

I touched his arm, trying to comfort him. "Calm down, Barthello. I'm sure you'll find her in no time. She's probably just dancing and having some fun…"

He gave me a desperate look. "But, if anything happens to her…"

"Running around in panic is not going to help." Tidus stated severely. "Right now, you have to keep your cool, and search."

"But—" He stopped and nodded. "You're right. I'll start searching immediately." He added, turning on his heels and darting away from us.

I turned to Tidus. "Shall we help him seek?"

He scratched the back of his head. "I guess it would be the best. I can't exactly show up in front of Auron without his niece. He'd kill me!"

"Okay, then." Rikku agreed. "I'll check down here. You can check outside, Tidus, and Yuna goes upstairs."

"Alright; if any of us finds her, call the others on the cell phone. And if we find any of our friends, we'll ask them to search too."

"Thanks, girls." Tidus kissed Rikku's forehead and touched my cheek gently, before walking away in search of his missing friend.

Rikku and I parted ways too and I climbed the stairs. On the upper floor, I started looking for Dona in every room. The first room was completely empty; then there was a huge bathroom in different shades of blue; another empty room; an office with a desk and lots of books… The next door was closed. I knocked on the painted wood and when no one answered I opened it… finding a couple making out on the large bed. Excusing myself, I closed the door again and proceeded to the next door. It was also closed and I repeated my previous actions — knock on the door, open it and close it again after finding the couple. Only this time I didn't close the door completely, because I recognized the raven-haired girl lying on the bed.

"Dona!" I exclaimed, entering the room and startling her and the guy who was with her. They both got up quickly and she started buttoning her skirt up, looking up at me.

"What are you doing here!" She yelled, enraged. "Get out of here!"

"I'm not going anywhere, Dona." I told her, keeping my voice calm. "Everyone's worried about you — Barthello's desperate, Tidus is searching everywhere—"

"Shut up! Stop lying!"

"What?" I was dumbfounded. What was she talking about? She had clearly been drinking, and she was too agitated, but still, why was she saying I was lying?

"Stop lying!" She repeated. "Tidus doesn't care about me! I saw him in the garden… _with you_!"

So, that was the reason why she was so mad at me — she had seen me and Tidus together. Despite all our efforts to keep our relationship a secret, we hadn't been subtle enough.

Deciding to ignore her tone, I told the guy who was with her to get out of the room. Strangely, he didn't even complain, gathering his belongings and leaving us alone, without looking at Dona. As soon as I heard the door closing behind me, I took a step forward.

"Dona, I think we need to talk." I knew I should have called Tidus or Rikku like we had decided to do in case we'd find her, but right now I believed it would be more important for me and Dona to have a serious conversation, without anyone interrupting us. There were certain things I needed to tell her, and I could bet there were certain things she wanted to tell me too.

Calmly, I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to join me. She just stood there, looking at me with the fire of jealousy burning in her eyes. Then, slowly, she sat on the other end of the bed and, crossing her arms over her chest, she said harshly "Okay, let's talk."

I ran a hand through my locks and sighed heavily, letting my hand fall back on my lap. "You know what, Dona? I'm tired. I'm tired of fighting you, or pretending that I accept you and that it doesn't bother me every time you hit on Tidus."

"That's your problem, not mine." She stated.

"You're right, it is my problem." I agreed. "As you know, Tidus and I have a story together. Supposedly, that story had ended when Tidus went to Zanarkand. But then… Then he came back and we've realized our feelings are still very strong, so we've decided to give it another try. The only problem is that Tidus didn't come alone. He came with you."

"Yeah, he came with me, but he never acted like I was of any importance!" She retorted. "He's always too damn busy with all his friends, and every time you're in the room… it seems like nothing else is there. Do you think I like that? Do you think I liked to see you and Tidus kissing in the garden? He should have chosen me!"

I looked down at my hands. Then, out of the blue, I asked. "Are you in love with Tidus?"

Dona stayed silent for a few moments, looking straight ahead. I couldn't possibly guess what she was thinking. Did she really love Tidus or was it just a passing infatuation and she was nothing but attracted to him? He had said himself she never listened to what he said and she only thought of guys…

Finally, Dona spoke again. "Are _you_ in love with him?" She asked, meeting my gaze. She wasn't looking so furious now.

I nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm deeply in love with Tidus. I love him for everything he is — the good things and the bad things — and I can't imagine my life without him in it."

Dona seemed somewhat surprised. "You say that now, but you've been without him for two years."

I nodded, biting my lip. "Yeah, I have. I wasn't easy though… Living without him… Let's just say I've never really gotten over him."

"Still, you let him go to Zanarkand. If you loved him so much you wouldn't want to be parted from him." She didn't bother in trying to hide the accusatory tone.

I smiled sadly. "When you truly love someone, Dona, you want to see that person happy above everything else, even your own happiness. I couldn't stop Tidus from fulfilling his dream knowing that that would make him miserable for the rest of his life. I had to let him go so he could be happy."

"Well, he wasn't very happy when you broke up with him, was he?" She said aggressively.

My smile faded and I responded coldly. "Tidus and I have already solved our issues on that."

"Yeah, you may have solved them for now. And when Tidus goes back, watcha gonna do? Break up with him again? I actually don't mind — I'll be the one to dry his tears this time!"

I bit my lip; I had no answers for her questions — I was trying not to think so far ahead… Instead, I said in a voice barely audible, "I never meant to hurt Tidus; if I could take away the pain I've caused I'd do it, but we can't change the past. The only thing we can do is learn with it. And I can tell you, Dona, that I've learned my lesson."

"That doesn't change my feelings for Tidus." Dona challenged.

"I know." I answered. "But you still haven't answered my question. Are you in love with him?"

She looked away and fell back on the tousled bed, sighing. We stayed in silence for a moment and then Dona murmured, "I don't know…"

I looked at her. "You don't know if you love Tidus?"

"No!" She met my gaze "I mean, I love him. I just don't know if I could ever have a relationship like you two seem to have. I mean, it's been two years and you're still in love with each other? Who does that nowadays? And I don't really think I'm willing to sacrifice everything for… for anyone, actually."

I allowed myself to smile. Dona was actually acting and talking like a regular teenage girl, unlike her usual cocky self. I eyed her closely. Even though she had applied lots of make-up, she seemed pretty young. How old was she? I had never stopped to ask…

"You know what I think, Dona?" I asked her.

"Do I want to know what you think, Yuna?" She asked back.

My smile broadened — her attitude was not a problem anymore. Actually, I was enjoying talking with Dona. Maybe she wasn't that bad after all. Without replying to her rhetoric question, I said "I think you've never fallen in love before."

She frowned. "What about Tidus?"

"I don't doubt your feelings for Tidus." I reassured her. "I mean, he's drop dead gorgeous and so nice and funny… It's only natural to feel attracted to him," I continued. "But love goes so much beyond physical attraction or just infatuation… It means adoring his soul, sharing his dreams, his laughs and his tears like they were your own; supporting him at all time, come what may. That's what I feel for Tidus. I know I haven't always done the right thing, but love is about mistakes too… and about correct them and forgive them."

"You do really love him, don't you?" Dona said somberly, putting her hands behind her head.

"Yeah, I do."

She eyed me for an instant, before turning away. "I've liked Tidus for a long time to just stop liking him all of a sudden."

"I'm not asking you that, Dona." I said seriously. "What I'm trying to make you understand is that… If Tidus… if he liked you like you like him, don't you think he would have told you or showed you during the past two years?"

She looked up at the ceiling. "If Tidus had chosen me, would you have stepped in the way?"

"I don't think so, but I don't know… When I first saw you, I thought you were Tidus' girlfriend. Then I realized you were just his friend, but still, I can't explain… I still feel jealous of you. I guess it's because you know Tidus so well, because you're the one who was there in the last years… Yeah, don't think you're the only one who's jealous." I added, seeing her surprised look.

She sat up again and looked straight at me. "I don't think we'll ever be friends, Yuna, but I'm kinda glad we're having this conversation. Maybe you're not as bad as I first thought you were …"

I smirked and said, jokingly, "I guess it's better to talk than to rip our hair off. Besides, I don't think Tidus would like to see us bald."

We both smiled. After an instant though, Dona's smile faded and she spoke again. "It's useless to fight for Tidus anymore. His choice is already made… It was made a long time ago."

I nodded, thanking her silently. Then, as an afterthought, I inquired, "May I ask you something personal, Dona?" She narrowed her eyes, but nodded. "Who was the guy who was here with you and why were you here with him?"

She ran a hand through her long silky black hair before answering. "To tell you honestly, I have no idea who he is. And as for why I was here… well, it seems pretty obvious, don't you think?"

"But why?" I was still trying to understand.

"Because I'd seen you with Tidus and I wanted to forget it. I drank a few shots and then this guy started dancing with me. When I noticed it, we were already here and I though 'Why the hell not?'. It's a normal thing in Zanarkand — to forget your problems with lots of drinks and lots of sex."

She'd explained it like it was the most usual thing in all Spira, but I was still stunned with this way of doing things; maybe because I'd been raised in a religious boarding school in Bevelle. I wondered if Tidus had ever tried that method while living in Zanarkand. I could bet he had, especially after our break-up — he would have been on the rebound and if they did things that way in Zanarkand… I really didn't want to think about that!

Misinterpreting my expression, Dona said, "C'mon, Yuna, don't tell me you thought I was a virgin."

Before I could answer though, my phone rang, making me snap back into reality. I opened it and put it on my ear. "Yeah?"

Tidus' voice was heard on the other side. "Yuna! Where the hell are you? Are you okay? Have you found Dona? The girl's driving me crazy!"

I smiled. "I bet she would like to hear you say that… I'm with her right now, so don't worry. We'll be down in a sec." I closed the phone and turned to Dona. "Tidus has been looking for you. I think we should go meet him."

A few moments later we met Tidus, Barthello and Shuyin near the front door. As soon as Barthello saw Dona he ran to her and hugged her, relieved that he had found her and she was alright. She stepped away immediately, reprimanding him with her so usual superior tone. I smiled as I walked to Tidus and Shuyin — Tidus was not in his best mood, I could see it from afar.

"What the hell were you doing? I was going crazy searching for her and you were with her?"

My smile faded. "I needed to talk to her about some things. Girl stuff." I added. Then I looked around. "Where's Rikku?"

Shuyin took a step forward and said, "Rikku had to go with Gippal and Paine. She said it was her curfew or something. You hadn't showed up yet so Tidus offered to take you home." He bent his head down and whispered in a way that only I could hear. "That's why he's so pissed — because you disappeared without a trace. He's been crazy trying to call you—"

"Trying to call me? But my phone didn't ring…" Shuyin shrugged. I smiled. "Thanks, Shu. What about Kissara? Weren't you with her?"

He shrugged again. "I was. She's nice, but I wasn't really in the mood to take her home tonight. Maybe another time."

In the meanwhile, Tidus had gone to talk to Dona and now was back, looking a little calmer. "Do you mind if we take you home right now, Yuna?" He asked, more gently, resting his hand on my shoulder.

"Of course not, Tidus. I'm kinda tired myself." I answered, putting my hand over his and glancing in Dona's direction. She was staring at us, but she wasn't fuming like before. There was a sad resignation in her dark eyes, and when our gazes met she even managed to give me a small smile.

-----XX-----

After waving goodbye to the others, and watching them drive away, I turned on my heels and headed home. I was climbing the porch steps when I noticed someone seated on Lulu's porch. It was dark and I couldn't see who it was, but when the clouds uncovered the moon, I recognized Paine. Without thinking twice, I changed my course and made my way in her direction.

She watched me climb the steps and take a seat next to her. We remained quiet for a long period of time. Finally, I asked, "Do you wanna talk about what happened this afternoon?"

"What happened this afternoon?" She asked back, knowing perfectly well that I meant her conversation with Baralai.

"I don't know. You tell me."

She stayed silent and for a moment I thought she wasn't going to answer me. Then, with a small sigh, she said, "Baralai asked me to go to the party with you." She paused. "And he told me he was just doing a project with Anaïr that night."

"And did you listen to him this time?" She nodded. "Why?"

"Because I'm tired of fighting you all because of him; he's not worth it." She responded sullenly.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to understand. "Why isn't he worth it?"

She looked at me. "You really wanna know, Yuna?"

"Only if you want to tell me. But yes, I must admit I'm curious."

"Curious…" She repeating, smirking a little. "Well, what harm could it do? You're probably the only person who would understand anyways…" I knew she was referring to my story with Tidus, so I just nodded. She knew I wouldn't judge her. Taking a deep breath and running a hand through her short hair, she began, "When I went to Luca, I was just a kid. The only person I knew was Gippal and we weren't very close back then. However, it didn't take long for us to become friends with Baralai and Nooj. I had never seen a more heterogeneous group and a more united one." She smiled, reminiscing. "Gippal was pretty much the same guy he is now, except he didn't have his "ladies man" reputation yet. Nooj was still recovering from a strange illness that had confined him to his bed for half a year and he was really quiet and reserved, yet very protective of us; I guess it was because he's the oldest one. Baralai… well, Baralai was the pretty boy everyone wanted to meet or to date. He was the son of a _maester_, one of the most influent guys in Bevelle, and he was studying to follow his father's footsteps and become the Praetor of Yevon. Actually, he wasn't supposed to hang out with us. We were 'inappropriate', in his father's opinion. I can't blame him — a young man who was supposed to be the new Praetor shouldn't befriend people like us — common, poor, even an Al Bhed…" She trailed off, pursing her lips. "Anyways, Baralai didn't care. Even though the professors managed to keep him apart from us during classes, he always found a way to be with us during breaks or after school."

"I admire the friendship you've built very much, Paine." I told her, leaning back on my chair and looking into the sky above. "It is so strong that it seems that nothing can tear it down."

"Yeah, well, I wish I could say the same." She replied, following my gaze and looking up too. "Because, despite the prejudice or the stigmatization, we were fine until… Until I fell for Baralai." I snapped my head to look at her. Was my friend actually admitting she had fallen in love with Baralai? She met my gaze and smiled sadly. "Yeah, Yuna, you heard it right. I started to feel attracted to Baralai — he was so handsome and so brave, defying the world to stick with us. His courage amazed me, his manners captivated me and… I was a silly little girl. Anyways," she continued, "I kept my crush hidden and I even started dating other guys, like Aleph. That is, until I found out that Baralai liked me too. However, I don't have a fairytale to tell you. Baralai and I are too different from each other and it would have never worked between us — he had to follow his course in life and become the new Praetor of Yevon, and I… I came back to Besaid one year earlier. The Crimson Squad was over, and so Gippal returned too, and Nooj came with us. As far as I know, Baralai went back to Bevelle to complete his studies."

"Until this year." I finished. She nodded. "Tell me, do Gippal and Nooj know about you and Baralai?"

"There's nothing to know, actually. We never dated." She stated. "Nevertheless, I believe that Gippal and Nooj know the story. At least they know as much as you do."

"So, that means there's more…"

"Sometimes it's better to keep some things a secret." She replied. "This _is_ what I want it to be — a kid's crush that never worked out. Period." She stopped for a moment, before saying more gently. "Not all relationships can be like yours."

"What do you mean?" I asked, glancing sideways at her. I knew she was talking about Tidus and me.

She smiled. "You know what I mean. I'm not blind, Yuna. Even though it seems like I don't care, I usually pay attention to my surroundings, you know? Even if I stay silent…"

I didn't respond. After a while though, I said, "I had a serious conversation with Dona today. She's not as bad as I thought, and she likes Tidus very much. But she doesn't love him…"

"Not like you do."

"Not like I do." I agreed. "I think she understood that too. She didn't say she was going to give up on him, but… I don't know, somehow I felt she's not going to bring me any more problems. And that's a blessing, especially now."

"Why?" Paine cocked one eyebrow.

"Because Tidus… well, he's been thinking about going back."

"To Zanarkand?" I nodded, feeling my eyes watering. "But does he want to go?"

"I don't know. I think he wants to stay here, with me, with his brother, with his friends… But Auron's been pushing him to go. I kinda understand, after all, Tidus' place is there — his job, his life…" I paused. "I don't want him to go, Paine. I don't think I can see him leaving again…"

"Why don't you talk to him about that? Last time you two talked about your problems you managed to work them out." She advised, resting her hand on my shoulder. "At least you have the courage to try…" She added as an afterthought, and I realized she wasn't talking to me, but to herself.

-----XX-----

I entered the coffee house and sat at an empty table in the back of the room, taking off my school books with a sigh. School was over for the day, but I still needed to study for this incredibly important exam that was coming up in two days. _So here I am_, I thought as I grabbed a pencil and started taking some notes. I could have gone home, of course, but I wasn't really in the mood to listen to Rikku whining about Gippal — they had had a fight the day before (their "first big fight" as she had called it) and they hadn't made up yet, and that was making her unbearably annoying, constantly bringing Gippal up and asking if I thought he would call her. To be completely honest, Gippal was being equally irritating, for he had spent the lunch hour asking me how Rikku was dealing with their little argument.

"Those two are completely in love." Baralai stated after Gippal had left for his next class.

"Yeah, but they're both too stubborn to ever admit it." I replied. And it was true.

I shook my head, trying to get rid of the thoughts of Rikku and Gippal, and focused once again on the book in front of me. My cousin's love problems could wait. My Spiran Literature test couldn't.

I was almost finishing taking notes from the fifth text when I heard a familiar voice above me. "Hey, Yuna."

"Lenne!" I exclaimed, looking up.

"I wasn't expecting to find you here." She continued, with a smile. "Can I sit down?"

"Sure, go ahead." I told her, continuing to look at her. She looked different since the last time I'd seen her, more than four weeks ago. Maybe it was the hair, which was caught in a ponytail, or maybe it was the clothes — a pair of fitted jeans and a baby-blue halter that showed off her perfectly shaped stomach — but something was definitely different about her. She looked… happier… lighter…

"What?" She asked, catching my stare.

"I don't know." I told her sincerely. "There's just something different about you, but I can't quite place it."

"Well…" She grinned widely. "I finally got a contract to sing! This time it won't be in some greasy, smoky, old club… This time it will be in a studio with real producers and musicians to help me. I'm just so happy, Yuna!"

I half-smiled at her. "That's… very good. Congratulations, Lenne."

"Thank you." We fell silent for a few moments. She picked a paper napkin from the table and started playing with it, twitching it in her long fingers. "You must be wondering how I can be so happy knowing that Shuyin…" She trailed off, without finishing the sentence.

I closed the book I was reading and put the pencil down. "Actually, I'm not. You and Shuyin aren't together anymore, so it's perfectly natural that you just… move on and find your own happiness. After all, if you broke up with him it's because you weren't happy." I couldn't help my last comment.

She looked away, and then slowly asked "Shuyin didn't tell you why we broke up?"

"He didn't tell me and I didn't ask."

"Well… we started arguing again. I know Shuyin cares about me, Yuna. I care about him too…" I didn't reply and she continued "But I can't stand fighting him all the time. I still remember how it was the first time we broke up — endless arguments and fights and battles that none of us would win… And now, Shuyin and I fought again — because of Jecht, of Tidus, of us… This time, though, it didn't affect me as much as before. When we used to argue, I wouldn't rest until we made up, but now… when I left his house I didn't feel anything and when we broke up I… I felt… somewhat relieved."

"You're not in love with him anymore." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

She nodded. "I guess I'm not."

"I'm gonna get something to drink. Want me to bring something to you?" I asked after awhile, getting up.

"Yeah, a black coffee, please. Thank you."

I went to get our orders and returned quickly after because the waitress had said she would bring the drinks to the table. When I got to the table, though, I found Lenne reading one of my notebooks. Firstly I thought it was the one I had previously been writing on, but taking a better look I realized it was my private notebook, the one where I wrote all my most personal thoughts and poems.

"What are you doing?" I asked, approaching the table. I couldn't believe someone else other than me was reading my personal stuff.

Lenne looked up and smiled. "You wrote this?"

I reached out my hand and grabbed the notebook that Lenne was handing me. "Where did you find this?" I questioned, sitting in front of her and placing the notebook on the table between us.

"Well, it was right here and… I'm sorry if I did something I shouldn't." Lenne apologized, frowning.

I shook my head, regaining my coolness. "No, it's not that, Lenne. It's just that this is way too personal, you know… I don't let anyone read it and now… I guess I just…"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know. It was there and I had nothing to do and… You know I love poems and I think yours are truly amazing! Sorry, Yuna." She repeated.

"You did?" I asked, letting out a small smile. She gazed at me inquisitively and I proceeded, "I mean… You liked the poems?"

"Yeah, I did!" She answered, smiling back at me. "They're great! I loved this one…" She opened the notebook and showed me a poem I'd written ages ago. "See this part? It would fit perfectly in a song." And she started singing the verses with a soft melody. "_If you'd ever want to fly, I promise I would be your sky/Can't you see all I care about is you/If there's anything that I could do… just to make you mine/I wouldn't even think about it twice…_"

She had a wonderful voice — soft and gentle, yet powerful and strong. Hearing my own words in her voice was strange, though. Those were my words, my thoughts, but it wasn't my voice… However, it was amazing at the same time, because someone else found my poems good enough to make a song out of them. I smiled, enjoying her singing. She stopped and turned the pages until she found another poem she liked. "I also love this one: _Standing outside and looking in/I wonder why you shut me out/My life without you, it makes no sense at all/I feel so sad, so lonely, so trapped/I want to scream and shout/Continuing without you is like continuing without the sun/ Don't you understand, don't you realize you are the one?_"

That one was more recent. It was from two years ago when Tidus had left for Zanarkand, when he had stopped calling and visiting. It was a deeper poem and I liked it better because it was more mature, it had more emotion in it. Compared to this one, the other was nothing but a little girl's dream or expectation. Lenne continued to flip the pages until she reached the last one.

"This one is my favorite." She said, pointing at the last poem, still unfinished. "I noticed it's not complete yet, but I think this one will be great! It would be an excellent song!"

I silently read the part I'd written a few days before:

"_Wait for me, I'll write you letters"_

_I could hear that you whispered as you walked through that door_

_But still I swore_

_To hide the doubt when I turned back the pages_

_Shouting might have been the answer_

_What if I cried my eyes out and said that I couldn't wait?_

_But now I'm strong enough to know it's not too late_

"A song?" I questioned, still looking at the paper.

"Yes, a song." Lenne bit her lower lip before continuing, "You know, Yuna, I have a contract now, but I still need to have a good song… the best song… to make it in the showbiz. I really loved your poems and I think you are a very talented writer." I thanked her and she smiled. "I would like to propose you something…"

"What?" I frowned, wondering what it could be.

"Would you like to write me a song?"

I blinked twice, surprised by her suggestion. "Me? Writing a song? I've never—"

"I know it's kinda rush but… You do have the talent, and I do need a song." She stated.

"But why don't you write the song? I mean, don't you write your own songs?" I continued questioning, still not really believing what she was asking me to do.

"Yeah, usually I do write my songs. But I have only half a dozen songs written. And I'm not actually asking you to write a song, I'm just asking you to write the lyrics — I'll do the music later. So what do you say, Yuna?"

"I don't know, Lenne. As I've told you, no one has ever read my work except for me, Lulu and Tidus… And now you. It would be a big step to show one of my poems to the world."

"Well, I certainly would be honored to sing something written by you…" Lenne sighed. "But it's up to you. If you decide to give it a try, just give me a call, okay?"

I nodded. "I'll think about it, I promise."

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry, guys, I'm having writer's block. Don't know when next chapter's coming out. I hope it'll be soon. Sorry again. See ya. 


	23. Chapter 22: Talking about sex

A/N: I'm so sorry, everyone! I wanted to upload this chapter yesterday, but I only finished it at 2 a.m. and I was so tired I decided to upload it today. I hope you'll forgive me….

Oh, and despite the title, there's no explicit sex in this chapter, okay? Just clearing it out ;-)

Disclaimer: You already know I don't own anything fo this :-P But I need to say that I also don't own anything concerning Jade's song _1000 words_, even though I'm using its lyrics as one of Yuna's poems.

* * *

_**Chapter 22**_

_**Talking about sex**_

"I'm gonna throw a party." Rikku announced a few days later.

"What?" I asked, lifting my gaze from the notebook placed on my lap and eyeing my cousin on the other side of my room, combing her blonde hair in front of the mirror.

"I'm thinking of throwing a party." She repeated, continuing to run the brush through her long tresses.

Paine, who was doing a college essay on my computer — hers had broken down the week before —, asked calmly, without even turning her eyes away from the white screen, "Does your father know about that decision of yours?"

Rikku laughed nervously, grabbing the brush in her hands and turning to face us. "Well, he… huh… Not yet." She ended up answering.

"I'm not sure if Uncle Cid will agree with your idea of throwing a party, Riks." I said, tapping the pencil on the blank pages. I'd been thinking about Lenne's idea of writing a song, but it seemed as though I'd lost all my inspiration. I couldn't write a single verse. Not even a single word.

"Yeah, well… If you'd help me, maybe he would." She gave me a toothy grin, approaching me and sitting by my side on the bed. "C'mon, Yunie! I really, really, really, really want this! Just imagine — it could be my eighteenth birthday party!"

I laughed. "Girl, stop dreaming. Your father won't let you, not even if _I_ ask him. You know what he thinks about that kind of parties… I can't actually blame him." I added, remembering the party we'd been in recently.

My cousin pouted. "Meanie."

I shook my head, smiling. Then, deciding that looking at a blank page without knowing what to write would be a waste of time, I closed the notebook and got up, stretching my arms above my head and walking to the window. It was another rainy day, dark clouds threatening to pour at any minute.

"I'm done." Paine said, after a few minutes of silence.

I looked over my shoulder at my friends. "What do you wanna do now?"

"Well, I was actually thinking that we could go to the movies." Paine replied.

Rikku perked up a bit. "What film do you suggest?"

Paine was about to answer, but my cell phone rang and I picked it up. "Yes?"

"Hey, baby. How are you?" Tidus' voice greeted me from the other side of the line, making me completely forget I wasn't alone.

"Hey…" I answered, smiling. "I'm okay. How about you?"

"Well, I'd be better if I was with you…" He paused for a moment and then continued, "After all, Shuyin went out and left me here, all alone… lonely…"

"Oh, poor baby…" I joked. "Do you want me to go there and keep you company, is that it?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble for you…" Even though he was acting like someone introverted and insecure, I knew better and I knew he was just playing his game. Yet, it was cute to see him acting like this just to get my attention.

"Okay, baby, I'll be there in fifteen minutes." I ended up saying.

"I'll be waiting."

We both hung up and I lifted my eyes, just to meet my cousin's curious gaze fixed on me. I smiled, blinking and put the phone down. "Apparently, I'm not going to the movies, guys. Sorry." Then, as Rikku was still staring at me, I asked her, "What?"

"Do you have a secret boyfriend, Yunie?"

"What? No! I mean… Rikku, I don't… I don't know what you're talking about… I just…" I stammered, feeling my cheeks burning.

"You do! You have a boyfriend!" Rikku exclaimed, jumping excitedly. "For how long? What's he like? Wait! Do I know him? Who is he? And why do you keep it a secret? And—"

"Rikku, if I was Yuna, I wouldn't tell you anything either." Paine stated, interrupting my Al Bhed cousin. "Have you noticed how inconvenient you're being?"

"Well, you never tell me anything, anyway." Rikku said, looking at Paine; then she looked at me again. "Am I being inconvenient, Yunie?" She asked, a little sad.

"Well, Riks…"

"Yes, you are." Paine reiterated firmly, shutting down the computer and standing up. "And now leave your cousin alone and let's go to the movies. She's got plans. If she'll want she'll tell you about them later."

"Okay…" Rikku agreed, pouting a little. "Bye, Yunie."

"Have fun." I smiled guiltily, as my friends left the room.

As soon as they were completely gone, I picked up my purse, gathered the cell phone and the car keys, which were on the desk, and put on my black boots to match the black skirt. Taking a look at the mirror, I finally left the room, ran down the stairs and out of the house.

About fifteen minutes later, just like I had promised, I was in front of Shuyin's apartment, ringing the bell. Tidus opened the door with a huge smile. "Hello, beautiful!"

I smiled too, throwing my arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss. We hadn't been able to be alone for the past week, because there was always someone else with us, or because we were always too busy, and I had missed being with him like this — I had missed his kisses, his hands on the small of my back, his voice whispering in my ear…

"I've missed you, you know?" I giggled when I heard his words. He took a step back and looked me in the eye with a small smile, "What?"

"Nothing… I was just thinking the same… how much I've missed being with you." Tidus' smile broadened and he released me from his embrace, holding my hand and leading me inside. "Are you sure Shuyin won't come back anytime soon?" I asked, looking around.

"Yeah, he went to work. He won't be here until nine o'clock or so… Don't worry, Yuna, he won't catch us."

"Yeah, well… I certainly hope not." I paused. "Today, Rikku found out I have a boyfriend. She doesn't suspect it's you… yet." I added.

Tidus was silent for a moment. "Why do we…. I mean, we could… Do you wanna tell them?"

I looked at him, surprised. "Do you?"

He shrugged. "I don't know… Sometimes I think… I don't know." He repeated, running a hand through his blonde locks.

I walked towards him and put my arms around his waist, resting my head on his chest — I always loved to do that. "Let's not think about that right now, okay? We can talk later if you want, but for now, let's just be like this…" I said in a whisper.

He didn't reply but I felt his arms encircling me and I sighed. Time was against us, I knew it. Sooner or later, people would begin getting suspicious of us; sooner or later, Auron would decide it was time for Tidus to return to Zanarkand… But for now, we could just be there, in the arms of each other, without thinking any further…

After a long moment, I looked up to meet Tidus' gaze. He bent down his head and gave me a sweet, soft kiss. I pulled him closer to me and deepened the kiss, turning it into a passionate one. Our tongues battled for awhile, before we had to break out for air.

"Now I know you missed me…" Tidus joked, taking a step forward and making me move back until I tumbled onto the couch. He fell on top of me, putting his hands above my head so he wouldn't crush me with his weight and stopping mere inches away from my awaiting lips.

"Meanie…" I whined when he didn't kiss me, pouting.

He chuckled. "Now you sounded just like Rikku."

"And from whom do you think I'm learning?" I asked ironically.

He laughed again and then kissed me, tangling one of his hands in my hair and placing the other one on my leg. I was almost lying on the couch and his body pressed against mine was making me forget about everything but him. His warm fingers began running up my thigh, climbing higher and higher underneath the skirt I was wearing. My own fingers took a life of their own and I began to unbutton his shirt, taking in the pleasurable vision of his tanned chest. He kissed me again — his kisses were long, hot and wet and I was beginning to lose my breath again. His shirt fell to the ground. He smiled at me and touched my cheek with the back of his hand, before lowering it and placing it on my chest, over the sweater.

I closed my eyes. This was so good; I had missed it so much… Feeling wanted, desired, loved… Feeling the warmth of another body pressed to mine, yearning for mine… Yet, somewhere in the back of my head, something was telling me this wasn't right. Something was telling me we were moving too fast. That maybe we would regret it later.

I didn't want to listen to that voice in my head. I wanted to remain there, being loved by Tidus. I wanted to forget about everything except for that moment. I knew the only one who could ever complete me was right there in front of me and I didn't want him to go away ever again. But I knew I had to obey my conscience, I knew I had to stop this before it was too late and we would both make a huge mistake. I knew it.

_If I could at least forget how to think and care about nothing else. Just follow my basic instincts and do the crazy thinks that I never do…_

"Tidus, stop." I shut my eyes and placed my hands on his chest, pushing away softly. "Please, I don't want to…"

He looked at me questioningly, but at least he didn't insist. Instead he stood up straight, and sat next to me on the couch. I was looking down, avoiding his gaze.

"Did I… did I do something wrong?" He ended up asking, looking at his hands on his lap.

I shook my head. "It's not your fault! You didn't do anything wrong, Tidus!"

"Then why…?" He trailed off, not finishing the question. He didn't have though, I knew what he meant.

"It's just that… I think… we're moving too fast. I think I need some more time to… you know."

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, meeting my gaze.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing, Tidus… I… I wanted it too but then… I think it's still too soon. I mean, I… I don't know. I'm sorry, I'm very confused right now."

I put my head on his shoulder and he pulled me closer to him, softly kissing my hair. "It's okay, Yunie. I'm confused too."

"Can you just hold me close for a while?" I asked him, cuddling up close and closing my eyes. Suddenly I was feeling really tired.

"Sure, my love." He said soothingly, running his fingers through my hair until I finally fell asleep.

-----XX-----

I woke up alone in a dark room. Blinking to adjust my eyes to the obscurity around me, I sat up and realized I was in Shuyin's room, lying on his bed. Someone had taken off my boots and had covered my cold body with a warm blanket. Pushing it aside I got out of bed and tiptoed my way until I reached the doorknob. Opening the door silently, I looked out, only to be greeted by the sight of Tidus and Shuyin sitting on the couch and talking calmly. As if sensing my presence, Tidus looked over his shoulder and our eyes met.

Following his gaze, Shuyin smiled at me. "Hey, Yuna. Did you sleep well? Come and sit here with us."

I walked in their direction, and they made room on the couch for me to sit between the two of them.

"Do you want to eat something, baby?" Tidus asked, resting his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him inquisitively. What had happened while I had been asleep? Had he told his brother about us? I really needed some answers. Apparently, he understood my gaze, for he smiled again and said, "Don't worry, Yuna, Shuyin already knows. He'll tell you everything while I go and make you something to eat."

"I'm not hungry, Tidus." I spoke for the first time since I had entered the room. "But I would appreciate a warm drink. I'm cold…"

"Okay, then. Is coffee alright? Shuyin hasn't bought tea yet…"

I nodded, smiling. "Coffee's perfect. So, Shu," I began, after Tidus left for the kitchen. "How did you know?"

Shuyin smile broadly. "Well, if you and Tidus really wanted to keep it a secret then you shouldn't have fallen asleep on my couch." He joked, a hint of amusement in his dark blue eyes as he saw me blushing. "I'm kidding, lil' sis. But seriously, someone would have found out sooner or later, Yuna."

"We were reckless." I admitted.

"It's not that, silly." Shuyin said. "It's just that you can't hide very well when you're together. You're always disappearing at the same time; you're always exchanging glances and smiling at each other; you find every single excuse to be together… It was not hard to realize that you two had made up. At least for me ― I've known since the beginning; since the night you and Tidus left on the same car only to return the morning after, together again. I just needed a confirmation."

"We are that readable, huh?" I asked with a smile, wondering why Shuyin hadn't said anything sooner, why he had let us believe we had a deep well kept secret.

"For those who know you well, you are."

I laughed. "Well, to tell you honestly, I'm not even sure if we were truly hiding our feelings. I think that part of me wanted to keep it hidden so our friends wouldn't get too hopeful, but I think the other part of me wanted to shout to the heavens how happy your brother makes me."

"I heard that." Tidus said, coming back into the room and handing me a cup of coffee.

I smiled at him and leaned back on the couch, taking in the scent of the hot coffee. "I hope you know it's true."

"Okay, this is getting way too mushy for me, lover birds." Shuyin said as a joke, pretending he was going to be sick.

"Please, Shu, we haven't even started the kissing and hugging yet." I replied in a fake serious tone, making both Shuyin and Tidus laugh.

We stayed there for another half an hour, just talking and having a great time, like we used to do so long ago. The boys told me that when Shuyin had arrived home earlier and had found us asleep on the couch he had woken up his brother and then they had decided to let me rest a little longer, laying me on Shuyin's bed and covering me with a blanket. After that, they had had dinner and Tidus had told Shuyin all about us, even though there were many things Shuyin already knew. The rest I knew, for I had woken up then.

Being there with them reminded me how it used to be before Tidus had left for Zanarkand. The place was different, we were all different people than what we used to be back then, but somehow it felt exactly the same. Comfortable, pleasant, safe… The difference was that this time I knew better than to wish things to remain the same forever. Because I knew there was no such thing as forever.

"Whatcha thinking?" Tidus asked, touching my arm gently.

I looked at him and smiled sadly. "Just remembering the old days… and thinking how much everything's changed…"

Tidus placed his arm around me and pulled me to him, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Some things haven't changed."

"Yeah." Shuyin continued. "Like the fact that he still drools over you every single day."

"I don't drool!" Tidus pouted; then he ended up saying, looking tenderly at me, "Well, maybe a little…"

-----XX-----

"I can't believe Shuyin knew it from the beginning and he didn't say anything." I told Tidus the next day. We had planned to go out for a walk on the beach but the pouring rain had confined us to a café, where we were drinking hot chocolate and eating vanilla biscuits.

"Yeah, well, Shuyin is just… full of surprises." Tidus said. "He told me he hadn't said anything because he didn't want to put any pressure on us. I guess he just wanted to watch us and laugh to himself."

I laughed and then said, "I think your brother was very wise. If he had told us something, we'd probably get all freaked up. At least I think I would. I wasn't ready to tell anything to anyone back then."

"Yeah…" Tidus paused, looking at the chocolate swirling in his cup. Then he spoke again, changing the subject. "What about Rikku? Did she bug you because of that boyfriend story?"

"Well, when I got home she was already asleep. Apparently, she and Paine didn't come to an agreement about what film to watch and so they went to the mall, where they found Gippal flirting with some girls. As you can imagine, Rikku was not exactly happy. She had an outburst and started yelling at him in front of everyone. According to Paine, it wasn't pretty."

"I can imagine." Tidus said, scratching the back of his head. "Gippal and Rikku aren't a very easy couple, are they?"

I shook my head. "No they're not. But they like each other… very much. If only they could see beyond that stubbornness of them…"

"Like we did?" Tidus asked with a smirk.

"Like we did." I agreed, holding his hand in mine. Then, after a moment, I began, "Listen, about yesterday, I―"

"We don't have to talk about that, Yuna." Tidus interrupted me.

"I know… But I want to explain. I mean, I want you to know how I feel." I stopped for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "First of all, I want you to know that I love you. And I wanted to be with you yesterday, I really wanted to. But I got scared; I was afraid that I might regret it later. Last time we were in a relationship, I gave everything of me and I ended up with nothing." Tidus was going to speak, but I stopped him with a wave. "Let me finish this, please. We both got hurt, last time. That was why I wanted to take it easy this time. Apparently that's hard ― we know each other too well, we love each other too much. But still, there are things we can slow down… and this is one of those things. I'm sorry, and I hope you understand my point of view."

"I understand… kind of." Tidus responded. "I love you too, and I can wait if you want. I've waited two years to be with you again. I think I can wait a little longer."

"Thanks for understanding. And thanks for respecting me."

He nodded seriously, his blonde locks falling over his azure eyes and I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. We were okay.

We were leaving the café when someone called my name. For a moment I thought it would be one of our friends who had seen us and would discover the truth about our relationship, but looking over my shoulder I realized the person who was calling me was Leon, a boy I had met in my first year of college.

"Hey, Leon, how've you been?" I greeted, taking a few steps in this direction.

"Fine. How 'bout you?" He asked, looking at me. "Prettier each passing day, I see."

"Don't be silly." I giggled. Then I looked at Tidus who had remained on the same spot. "Tidus, this is Leon, a friend of mine."

"Nice to meet ya." Tidus said seriously, outstretching his hand.

"Of course you dismiss any introductions: Tidus, star player of the Zanarkand Abes." Leon said with a smirk, taking Tidus' hand and shaking it.

"That's me." For the first time I didn't see Tidus beaming with pride when saying those words. He was actually quite silent.

Leon kept smirking as he turned to me again. "Yuna, it's always a pleasure to meet you in any circumstances, but I must leave you now. But we must meet some other time, maybe for a date, who knows?"

I blushed. "I don't think that would be such a god idea, Leon. But thanks anyway." I said lowly.

He shrugged. "That's too bad, I'd like to see more of you. But it's okay, after all it's kinda hard to compete with a _star_. Later, guys."

He waved one last time before entering the café.

Being alone again, Tidus and I started walking down the street, to where the car was parked. Tidus suddenly asked. "So, this Leon guy… How well do you know him?"

I glanced at him, but he wasn't looking at me. We had reached the car and we both climbed in — Tidus was driving this time. I put my seatbelt on before answering. "I don't know him that well, actually… I just met him last year, when I went to college. He was a senior and he kinda help me out with the papers."

"Did you two date?"

"Why are you asking this, Tidus? It's not important…"

"Maybe it is for me." He answered gravely, clenching his fists around the steering-wheel.

"C'mon, baby, are you jealous of _Leon_? He's just someone I know, I can't even call him a friend, actually." I touched his arm, smiling and trying to dismiss the subject.

"Well, you two seemed kinda… intimate. And he seemed pretty into you…" He responded dryly. "You dated him, didn't you?"

I sighed. "I went out with him a couple of times, yes. He seemed a nice guy, and I was trying to rebuild my life after you… But then I realized he wasn't exactly the kind of person I thought he was and… and I couldn't stop thinking of you."

Tidus glanced at me, a small smile forming on his lips. "Really?"

"What do you think, silly?" I threw my hands in the air. "Even after two years you're still all I think about! You're the only one I care about, don't you know it already?"

He shrugged. "I guess I just like to hear you say it."

I playfully slapped his arm and then shook my head in defeat. "What am I gonna do with you?"

"Take me home and take good care of me?" He asked jokingly.

"I was actually thinking of throwing you off the nearest bridge…"

He laughed and I grinned, just listening to him — I had always loved his laughter. And I was also glad that he had already forgotten about Leon… or so I thought. "But I admit I'm a little jealous." Tidus said after he had fallen serious again. "The idea of… of you dating other guys… I don't know, it makes me kinda mad…"

"Well, I certainly don't like the idea of you being with other girls in Zanarkand either." I responded bitterly, before I could contain myself.

Tidus glanced at me and for a long moment none of us spoke. Then his hand reached mine and he took it to his lips, kissing it softly. "You're the only one I've ever loved."

"So were you." I whispered back. Then I added, "But that doesn't change what we've done in the past, Tidus. Or who we've been with… Bringing these things up isn't the right option — it only hurts us even more…"

"Yeah, I know." He paused. "But I can't stop feeling jealous of that guy! And any others who might've—" He stopped abruptly. "Sorry. Let's just not talk about this again, okay?"

I nodded and rested my hand on his knee, a small smile playing on my lips. I couldn't help feeling a little happy for his reaction — knowing that he was jealous of me was comforting in some way; it made me feel that he was afraid of losing me, that he wanted me to himself and to no one else. And even though I didn't like being controlled or bossed around by any guy, I actually didn't mind knowing Tidus wanted me to be his. _I_ wanted to be his, as I wanted him to be mine, too.

"I love you." I whispered, looking at him. We had stopped at a red light and he turned to face me.

"I love you." He answered back, leaning in and kissing me.

-----XX-----

When I got home, later that day, Rikku was sitting at the kitchen table, looking blankly ahead. The cup of coffee she was holding in her hands was probably freezing cold by now. I called her from the kitchen's entrance, but she didn't respond; she didn't even blink.

"Rikku." I called again, sitting by her side and resting my hand on her shoulder. She snapped around, looking extremely startled. "Sorry, sweetie, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, it's you, Yunie." She sighed. "Sorry, I was just… thinking…"

"Of Gippal?" I said tentatively.

"No!" She answered quickly; too quickly. "Yeah, okay, I was thinking of him." She ended up admitting after a few seconds of silence, twirling the spoon inside the cup.

"It's not a weakness to think of the one you love, you know?" I asked her with a small smile.

"But I don't love Gippal!" Rikku said firmly.

_Or maybe you're trying to convince yourself that you don't love him_, I said to myself. But I was smart enough not to say it to my cousin. "You may not love him, but you have strong feelings for him, don't you, Riks? He still messes up with you."

"I don't know why, Yunie." She whined, looking at me.

"Well, maybe you're not supposed to _know_ why, maybe you're just supposed to _feel_ it." I said. "What makes Gippal so different from all the other guys you've dated before?"

She took her time before answering. "Well, he's always been there for me, since we were five or six years old. And he's always pushed me around and picked on me, yet he knows when to be quiet and supportive. And he knows me — I don't have to pretend around him. Never."

I smiled. My little cousin was in love… and she had no idea! She and Gippal had been made for each other and they were the only ones too blind to see it. They shouldn't be fighting or arguing, they should be making up and making out somewhere… anywhere.

"Why did you two argue anyway?" I asked, realizing Rikku hadn't told me the reason of the argument this time.

She turned red and looked down at her cup, pushing it aside and murmuring something I was unable to understand.

"What?" I asked again.

"Because of sex." She said louder, keeping her eyes downcast and her cheeks burning.

"Because of sex?" I repeated, trying not to smile. "Why?"

She risked a glance at me. When she saw I wasn't laughing or making fun of her, she looked up, facing me. "Because… because I'm a virgin. And Gippal's a ladies man. And we two don't match."

I blink, trying to understand her theory. "What happened?" I finally asked, realizing I couldn't follow my cousin's logic.

"Well, we were making out in his room — you know he lives with Baralai and Nooj, but it's actually quite simple to find some time alone in that house; it's like they're always gone off to do something and we're always left alone, except of course when Nooj takes LeBlanc there and then we all know that there's no rest for us until we leave the house. Maybe she's just shy and she likes to have the house just for them or—"

"Rikku!" I called her. "Can you get to the point?"

"Yeah, right. Sorry." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm just a little nervous and you know I talk a lot when I'm nervous. But, okay, getting to the point… We were all alone in his room, making out, and things became… more intense, ya know? When I noticed, he was on top of me and he was starting to unzip my pants!" My cousin said that last sentence with a shocked expression.

"And?" I asked, knowing almost for sure what had happened next — Rikku had panicked, she had started yelling at him, he hadn't realized what she was talking about and they had both started arguing. "Did you tell him you weren't ready to take that step in the relationship?"

"No… I was too embarrassed to tell him I hadn't been with anyone yet." She said lowly, drooping her head again.

"What?" I was utterly surprised that my cousin had rather argued with her boyfriend than tell him she was still a virgin, just because she was embarrassed. Yet, I knew that was exactly the kind of things Rikku used to do — doing crazy things without thinking, protecting herself from a serious and heartfelt relationship… That was why she had never had a serious boyfriend; that was why she had never been with anyone for long. Because as soon as she realized things were getting too serious she jumped off the boat — that way she would never get hurt. The problem was, I think, she was already hurting because of Gippal.

I held one of her hands above the table, catching her attention and making her look at me.

"Rikku, you don't have to be ashamed of who you are. Just because you've never slept with a guy, it doesn't mean you're… You're not different from anyone else. It makes you even special, because with all the boyfriends you've already had, you're still waiting for the right person to come. Do you know how important that is?"

"But… I don't know, Yunie. Gippal is…" She trailed off.

"Yes, Gippal is everything you're thinking." I said with a smile, putting a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yet, he's been with you for the last months and he's been quite faithful and loyal to you. I haven't seen Gippal flirting with anyone else since you two started dating, and now when you argued, he was all worried about you. It makes me think that maybe the 'ladies man' thinks you're different from all the others too."

"You think?" She asked me, a glimpse of hope in her green swirls.

I nodded. "I do. But you two must be honest with each other. You must talk about what you feel. He's not in your mind, he doesn't know what you're thinking, you have to tell him. You'll see things will get easier after that."

"You're right, I should go talk to him right now!" She exclaimed.

I looked at my wrist watch. It read 11p.m. "Well, Rikku, maybe you can wait until tomorrow. Gippal's not going anywhere and I seriously doubt your father would like you to go out so late."

"Yeah, you're right…" She said, bending her head. Then she lifted her head again and faced me. "Do you really think Gippal will understand?"

"I have no idea." I answered honestly. Her smile faded and she looked so disappointed I felt the need to say something more. "But you're the one who said he knows you. And if he really does, he will understand."

Rikku hugged me. "Thank you, Yunie."

-----XX-----

_I should really try to sleep._ I thought for the millionth time tat night. Ii was really late, the house had already fallen silent, I was lying on my bed, and yet I couldn't fall asleep. I had tossed and turned on the bed for the last couple of hours and now I was still, looking at the ceiling, my hands crossed over my stomach, my chest rising and falling with every breath. _Being like this makes me wonder…_

And so I wondered. I wondered how the conversation between Rikku and Gippal would go the next day — if they would talk about their problems and try to work them out, if they would finally admit they were in love, if they would develop a serious relationship… I wondered what had happened between Paine and Baralai to make them so bitter towards each other — I had been talking to her the day before and she had said things were 'not bad' between the two of them, meaning, they weren't good either; it was like they were on a thread and every little thing could make them explode on each other or could make them be peaceful again… I wondered why Lenne had stopped loving Shuyin — had she ever loved him in the first place? I believe she did, long ago when they were a real couple. But this last time, I don't think she was in love anymore; she's in love with her music, with her career, with her future, and Shuyin wasn't part of it… I wondered how Shuyin was dealing with everything — his father's death, his break-up with Lenne, my relationship with his brother… _Of course, every time I start wondering, I always end up thinking of Tidus!_, I said to myself with a smile.

Tidus. Star player of the Zanarkand Abes. My best friend. My love. My Tidus. He was everything I had ever dreamt of and he was mine again. But for how long? How long until he had to go back to his life? How long until he left me again? _Why am I thinking about this again! I should be trying to enjoy every single minute with him, not wasting time trying to imagine his life after he leaves Besaid!_ But I couldn't stop myself, I couldn't stop trying to guess what he had done and what he would do in Zanarkand. He had told me "You're the only one I've ever loved", but still… I felt so insecure every time I thought of his life in Zanarkand. I didn't want him to go to Zanarkand again, I didn't want him to leave me again!

Suddenly, an idea hit me and I grabbed my black notebook, which was on the nightstand, opening it on the first blank page. Yesterday, I had been staring at that notebook and not even one word had come out. This night was different however. I felt inspired. So I picked a pen and started writing:

_I know that you're hiding things, using gentle words to shelter me…

* * *

_

A/N: Okay, first of all, I just want to thank you all for your incredible support. I never expected this story to achieve 23 chapters and counting, over 200 pages, 150 reviews and a whole lot of wonderful readers. It's been a year since I uploaded the first chapter and I must say I'm overwhelmed with the outcome of this adventure. Thank you!


	24. Chapter 23:Rikku & Gippal's happy ending

A/N: I have this chapter written since last week or so, but my life's been so hectic that's been nearly impossible to sit at the computer and type it down. So I'm sorry, guys. Anyways, you're not here to read my excuses, so on with the story…

* * *

_**Chapter 23**_

_**Rikku and Gippal have their happy ending**_

"Here's your song." I smiled at Lenne, handing her the recently printed page with the poem I had written the night before. She held out her hand and grabbed the page in her long fingers, with a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "I hope you'll like it."

"I'm sure I will." She said before starting to read the lyrics. From time to time I could see her glancing at me from the corner of her eye, as if she was trying to relate the poem itself with me, with my life… She finally placed the paper on the table in front of her and sighed.

"So… What do you think?" I asked, feeling a bit anxious. After all, it wasn't everyday I showed my work to someone else than Lulu or Tidus, not to mention the fact that Lenne was thinking of transforming my poem into a song that would be heard by hundreds, thousands of people from all across Spira. That was definitely something that made me nervous.

"You know, Yuna," she slowly began, taking another look at the poem. "When I first asked you to write me a song, I wasn't expecting something so… deep. So heartfelt. These words are powerful, Yuna." Her big brown eyes gazed into mine and she let out a small smile. "It'll be an honor to sing them."

"Does that mean you like it?" I couldn't help the huge grin that had formed on my lips. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I love it, it's great! I'm sure it'll be a big hit! This was exactly what I needed…" She held my hands over the table. "Thank you, Yuna."

I blushed slightly. "Thank _you_, Lenne, for giving me this chance. I would never come out of the closet if it wasn't for you. Even now, I'm a bit scared… I mean, I love to write, but… will others like my work? I… I'm not sure… I feel a little insecure."

Lenne smiled understandingly. "Well, when I first started to sing I wasn't very confident either. I was afraid that I would fail… just like you are now. But let me tell you something, Yuna. The words on this poem are not the words of an insecure woman. They contain a lot of strength and courage… and love. Just like the person who wrote them. You just have to believe in yourself."

"Yeah, well, last night I was inspired." I joked. But then I added. "But I guess you're right. Thanks. It's good to hear something nice once in a while."

"Tell me about it." We both giggled. Then Lenne became serious again. "Now… let's talk about business. I'm glad you called me today, 'cause tonight I'm gonna have dinner with my producer and I'll show him your poem then. If he likes it — and I'm sure he will — we'll start working on it a.s.a.p."

"That's good… I think."

"Yeah, it's good. You'll have to sign a contract, allowing us to use your work for the song, and also to help us in case the lyrics don't fit the music, ya know… to change the rhythm and stuff. But you don't have to worry 'bout anything else."

I nodded, trying to assimilate everything. I was so focused on Lenne's words that I didn't notice the boy who had just entered the coffee house until he stopped a few feet away from our table. Only then did I see his blonde locks falling to his intense blue eyes and his expression lost somewhere between surprised and sad. Only then did I realize that the boy was Shuyin.

Lenne hadn't seen him, because she had her back turned to him, but I knew he had seen her. That was why he had stopped instead of coming to meet me; that was why he was looking so sad and cheerless. Catching my fixed stare, Lenne slowly turned in the chair, gazing at the lone figure standing there. It was an extremely awkward moment, one of those moments when everything goes soundless and time seems to slow down, when all you truly want is for it to go faster. Then, as if in slow motion, Shuyin turned on his heels and walked out of the coffee house.

In an instant, everything was back to normal. The sound came again, the movements returned to their normal speed… My eyes were still gazing at the closed door when I heard Lenne's deep sigh. I looked at her, she was clearly strained from the encounter.

"Are you okay?" I asked, continuing to glance at the door. All I wanted to do was go after Shuyin, to make sure he didn't do anything silly or stupid. I knew that, even though he was trying to get over Lenne, she was still a big issue in his life and his heart was still broken and I was worried about my friend.

Lenne seemed to notice my distress, even bigger than hers, for she calmly said, "I'm fine, Yuna. If you wanna go after him… go."

I gazed at her again. "I'm sorry, Lenne. You're my friend, but…"

"You're his. And your loyalty lies with him." She paused. "Go! I'll call you later… because of the song." She added.

I gave her a small smile, then grabbed my purse and darted off, running after Shuyin. I found him about five minutes later, walking down the street, his hands in his pockets and his eyes to the floor.

"Shuyin!" He didn't turn so I called again. "Shuyin! Wait!"

This time he heard me for he looked back and slowed down, coming to a halt. I finally reached him, slightly panting from the run.

"You came running after me?" He asked, arching his eyebrows.

"Don't look so surprised, Shu. What were you expecting me to do, abandon you?" I took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "Never again, big bro. Never again."

He gave me a small smile and I threw my arms around him, giving him a big hug.

-----XX-----

"This isn't the first time I see her after the break-up." Shuyin confessed me later that day. We had gone back to his apartment and we had had lunch there. It was just the two of us, for Tidus had gone to a meeting with Auron.

"You've seen her before?" I asked, taking the plates into the kitchen and putting them in the sink.

"We live in the same town, Yuna." He responded, placing the glasses near the plates. "It would be really strange if we stopped seeing each other all of a sudden. But I've only seen her a couple of times, and it's always been from a certain distance…"

"You still like her very much, don't you?" I asked hesitantly. I didn't want to hurt him even more.

He ran a hand through his blonde locks and sighed. "I don't know… I don't know how I feel anymore. I don't know if I feel at all… Since my father died… If it wasn't for Tidus, I…" He shook his head. "Things haven't been easy."

I didn't know what to say, so I kept my silence. After a few moments he spoke again.

"Maybe I need to get away… Get away from here and… start my life from the scratch somewhere else."

"Maybe…" I began tentatively, "Maybe you could go with Tidus when he returns to Zanarkand."

Shuyin looked at me. "So he told you?"

I blinked, surprised at the sudden change of subject. "Told me? Told me what?"

"Nothing." Shuyin replied quickly. Too quickly.

"What was he supposed to tell me, Shuyin?" I asked, frowning. "It has something to do with Tidus and his return to Zanarkand, hasn't it? Please, tell me."

"I can't, Yuna. Tidus asked me to keep it a secret; I can't tell you. Ask him, I'm sure he'll tell you everything then." He replied. His eyes were resolute — he wouldn't tell me his brother's secret.

I looked away, feeling my eyes watering. If Tidus was keeping a secret from me it had to be his decision to go back to Zanarkand. Maybe he didn't want to tell me so things wouldn't get awkward between us, so I wouldn't distance myself from him…

"I'm sorry, Yuna. I should've kept my mouth shut." I heard Shuyin say from behind me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, recovering my composure. Then I turned to him with a smile that I hoped was somewhat reassuring and said, "It's okay, Shu, I'll ask Tidus. No big deal."

In that instant, we heard the front door opening and Tidus voice calling out for his brother. Shuyin stepped out of the kitchen and I followed him, leaning against the doorframe and folding my arms across my chest. Tidus didn't see me though, for he was talking to Auron, who had come with him. In fact, Auron was the first one to notice my presence in the room.

"Lady Yuna, it's a pleasure to see you again." He said calmly, with a nod in my direction.

"The pleasure is mine I'm sure." I replied in the same tone.

Tidus looked at me and smiled broadly. "Yuna, you're here! I was gonna call you later."

"Well, Shuyin invited me to lunch and I couldn't say no, so…"

"Talking 'bout food," Tidus said suddenly, turning to Auron again. "Wanna eat something, Auron? We haven't lunched yet." He explained. Auron refused politely, saying he wasn't hungry, and Tidus continued "Well, in that case, maybe we should go straight to the point…"

"I guess it would be better." Auron agreed.

"Get to the point?" Shuyin asked, sitting on a chair. "What are ya talking about, Tidus?"

Tidus scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Well, remember that conversation we had a couple of days ago? I talked to Auron about it."

Auron nodded, taking a seat too. "Yes, and I may say that I find the idea quite interesting. I would need to see your abilities, of course, but being the son of Jecht, I don't doubt you're very good with a blitzball in your hands."

Shuyin's eyes lightened up a little. "Are you serious?"

I wasn't really following the conversation, but it didn't matter for they seemed to have forgotten me. They were too focused on their little chat. It seemed like they were deciding Shuyin's future — maybe he had already had the idea of going to Zanarkand with Tidus long before I had suggested it to him; maybe Auron was offering him a chance to go back to Blitzball, he had mentioned something about Blitzball after all…

"Yes, I'm serious, Shuyin. I never play when it comes to business." Auron replied calmly. "Besides, I'm not saying I'll represent you. There are some things we must take care of first. It's not going to be easy, and your record isn't the best, but… despite everything else, I think you're a good kid and I know your father would've wanted to see you shine."

Shuyin's smile faded immediately. "Yeah, maybe… I guess we'll never know, huh?"

At that moment, Tidus, who was still standing behind the couch, looked in my direction and smiled mischievously, saying casually "Listen, guys, you can take care of things… I'm gonna help Yuna with the dishes, 'kay?"

I arched my eyebrows, fully understanding his intentions, but he didn't give me time to say anything — he was already pulling me with him into the kitchen, closing the door behind us.

"You know," I said playfully, "you really gotta stop this obsession with kitchens… It's not healthy."

He laughed. "Yeah, well, I thought ya liked it… But we can always do the dishes." He added, walking towards the sink.

"Nah, I'm not in the mood." I responded, following him.

He grinned and put an arm around my waist, pulling me towards him and planting a kiss on my neck. "You're in the mood for what, then?" He softly whispered in my ear. I held his face in my hands and kissed him, gently pressing my lips against his. He kissed me back and then took a step back, his arms still around me and an impish smile on his lips. "So… you're in the mood for this, huh?"

I rolled my eyes, smiling. Then I turned serious again, remembering what Shuyin had told me… or what he _hadn't_ told me. "Actually, there's something I want to ask you…" I said softly, looking down. "But I'm not sure if I want to know the answer…"

I knew he was frowning, despite his gentle tone. "What is it?"

I looked at him and ran my fingers through his hair with a small smile. Then, sighing, I asked blatantly, "When are you going back to Zanarkand?"

Tidus remained silent. I couldn't really tell if he was surprised by my deliberate question or if he just didn't know how to tell me what I already knew… It was a little bit of both, I guess. Finally, after a few seconds, he asked, "How do you know I'm returning to Zanarkand?"

"'Cause you're my man and I know you… and because today I learned you're keeping a secret from me." He was going to say something, but I placed two fingers on his lips, hushing him. "Let me finish, please. Shuyin said you had something to tell me, but he didn't say what it was. I figured it had something to do with your return…"

"Yuna…"

I gave him a small smile. "Don't worry. I knew it had to happen someday. When is it?"

He bit his lower lip, clearly reluctant in telling me. His embrace tightened around me, crushing me against his chest, and he bent his head to kiss me. "In two weeks." He murmured against my lips.

I opened my eyes and they locked with his, which were already open and looking at me. Our noses were touching, our lips brushing, our bodies pressing against each other… But even though I could feel his warmth, I felt cold… lost without him. He was right there next to me and I was already missing him — how silly was that? I couldn't help one tear from falling…

"Hey, I'm still here…" He said tenderly, caressing my face with his warm fingers. "And I'm all yours, come what may…"

"Tidus!" Shuyin opened the door all of a sudden and Tidus and I let go of each other. "Sorry, guys, I didn't want to interrupt."

"It's okay, Shuyin. What's up?" Tidus asked, one of his arms still around my waist.

Shuyin gazed at me for an instant and then turned to Tidus again. "Auron's leaving. He wanted to have a word with you first."

"Oh, okay." Tidus said. He took my hand in his and we followed Shuyin out of the kitchen. Auron was putting his long coat on. "Auron, Shuyin said you wanted to talk to me…"

"Actually, I just wanted to remind you that I reserved a table for tonight at the hotel's restaurant. I am expecting you and Shuyin to show up." It was not a question or an invitation. Auron was simply telling them what he wanted them to do… and they would oblige.

"Sure." Tidus agreed. "Is it a business dinner or…?"

"Dona will be there too." Auron responded, understanding Tidus' unfinished question. Then he looked at me. "Would you like to join us for dinner, Yuna?"

"Me?" I asked, surprised. I didn't even want to imagine what a dinner with me, Dona and Tidus would be like. "Thank you very much, Sir Auron, but I must decline your invitation. I already have other plans for tonight. Though I must admit they're not as interesting as a dinner with you…"

Auron smiled. "Very well, then. I'll see you two tonight." He added, looking at Tidus and Shuyin, before he opened the front door to leave.

I turned to Tidus, placing a hand on his forearm. "I guess I'm going too. I need some time to… think. Can I call you later?"

He nodded, looking a little sad. "Sure, I'll be waiting."

"Okay, then." I said, kissing him goodbye. I waved at Shuyin, and then I left after Auron, who was still on the hallway waiting for the elevator.

"Ladies first." He said when the cabin finally reached our floor. I thanked him and entered the compartment. We were on our way down when he spoke again. "You know, it truly is a shame that you won't have dinner with us."

"I'm sure it will be a very good dinner nevertheless." I answered politely. I had no idea why he was insisting so much on the issue.

"Maybe…" We fell silent once again. Then he suddenly said, "You know, Yuna, you are very much like your father."

"What?"

The elevator had stopped and the doors opened; Auron stepped out and then turned his head to face me. A gentle smile graced his features, softening them. "You remind me a lot of Braska." He repeated.

"You knew my father?" I asked, surprised, following him outside the building. It was a sunny day, but it was colder than usual.

He nodded. "He was one of my best friends… along with Jecht. The three of us were inseparable."

I took a moment to assimilate what he had told me and then I questioned hesitantly, "You're telling me that… my father… knew Tidus' father?"

"Ironic, isn't it?" Auron asked.

I didn't know what to say. "Why are you telling me this now?"

He gazed me in the eye. "Because I hadn't had the chance before. The only other time we met was when Jecht was dying and I didn't think it was the right time. You were needed for other tasks back then."

I blinked. "Tasks? What tasks?"

"To keep Shuyin and Tidus together, so they could face their father's death." Auron said simply. "Those two boys love you, Yuna, I can see it in their eyes. I'm not surprised though. Jecht also loved Braska like he was his own blood…"

I looked down. I couldn't imagine my father ― the mighty Lord Braska, who was so powerful in Bevelle ― being the best friend of a man like Jecht ― drunk and poor and… But Jecht hadn't always been like that, I reminded myself, thinking of how Shuyin used to adore and look up to his father. _Maybe he was a great man before he was broken down by the drink_, I thought sadly.

"When Jecht began having serious problems with the drink," Auron said, as if reading my mind, "your father and I tried to help him, before he fell apart… but he didn't listen to us. It was a rough time for all of us, especially because your mother died shortly after." He paused. "We grew distant after that. Despite everything, when your father discovered he was ill, he asked me to take care of you if anything happened to him."

"He did? But then, why didn't I…? I mean, shouldn't I have gone to Zanarkand with you? How come did I end up in Besaid?" I was confused. It was not that I wished I had gone to Zanarkand with Auron; no, I loved Besaid, I loved my friends and family and I was so happy I had gone to live there a few years ago. It was just that I was trying to understand what Auron was telling me.

"Well, I tried to keep your guard, but the Bevellian court didn't allow me to. According to the laws, you should live with your nearest familiar, who happened to be Cid. After that, I lost track of you for I didn't know where Cid was currently living. One year later, though," he continued, "Tidus came to live with me and he told me about you and I knew you were doing fine."

"Yes, I love to live with my Uncle and my cousins… And I love Besaid, I made a lot of friends here." I told him quietly.

"I can see that. You even found love." I didn't reply and he continued, "Nonetheless, what I wanted to tell you is that you can always come to Zanarkand if you want; and if you need anything, you can just call me ― it would be a pleasure to fulfill your father's last wish."

"Thank you so much, Auron." I said, touched by his words. "My father truly was a lucky man to have you as his friend. But I must say that I'm happy here. I love this city and I love my life."

"Even a life without Tidus?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

I closed my eyes, sighing. "I survived once, I'll survive twice. Besides, things might be different this time…"

"Just like Braska would say." Auron smiled. "And as I always told your father, Yuna, every story must have an ending. Even a beautiful story like yours."

-----XX-----

Later that day, Lenne called me to say her producer had loved the lyrics and he was willing to use them as her first single. They were going to start working on the music the next day and she hoped it would be ready within a month. Strangely, it didn't make any difference to me, my only thought was: _Within a month Tidus won't be here to listen to it._

"Then you'll have to sign a contract to make sure we can use your poem to make a song. It's no big deal, but it's something we need to do to avoid legal problems, okay?" She continued.

"Sure, it's okay." I answered, playing with a strand of hair, while lying on my couch in the living-room. I was tired and sleepy, for I hadn't had much sleep the night before and I had got up really early that morning. "Is that all?"

"Yes, I think it's everything for now. I'm sorry I'm bothering you with these subjects but it's something important and—"

"You're not bothering me, Lenne! I'm glad you liked my poem and you're going to go for it… It's just that… Well, today was a tough day."

She stayed silent for a few seconds, before asking shyly. "How's Shuyin doing?"

I sighed. "Well, he's not doing great, as you can imagine, but he could be worse. I think he's going to be alright. He's got Tidus and you know those two are very strong when they're together."

"Yeah, I know… I'm happy they sort their problems out, at least Shuyin's not alone." Lenne said with the hint of a smile in her voice.

"I think he'll never be alone again…" I said back.

When we both hung up, I decided to call Tidus. After all, I had said I'd call him and I still hadn't done it. And if I knew him — and I did — he would be getting worried by now…

The phone rang twice before he picked it up. "Yuna. I was starting to think something had happened to you."

I giggled. "Don't worry, silly, I'm perfectly fine. It's just that I was on the phone with Lenne and I—"

"Lenne?" He interrupted me, surprised.

"Yes, Lenne. We have… business together. And don't worry, it has nothing to do with Shuyin." I explained, leaning back on the pillows. "Anyways, that's not important now… I was thinking, do you wanna go out tomorrow? I know it's Monday, but we could—"

"Definitely!" He quickly answered, cutting me off. Then he chuckled and continued in a more relaxed tone, "I mean, yeah, I wanna go out with you."

"Okay then." I laughed. "You know, this conversation reminded me of the ones we used to have before we started dating."

"I know. It was very… childish." We shared a laugh and then Tidus added, more seriously, "But I must say that I was kinda nervous… I felt just like seventeen again."

"Is that right? Well, sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but you're almost twenty."

"Don't say that! It makes me feel old!"

I giggled again. "You _are_ getting old." At that moment the doorbell rang and I looked over the couch's arm. "Listen, can I call you in a second? Someone's at the door."

"Sure. Talk to ya later."

"Love ya." I put the phone down and stood up, walking to the door and opening it. "Gippal! Baralai! What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Yuna." Baralai greeted with a smile.

"Is Rikku home?" Gippal asked, looking over my shoulder to try and see a glimpse of Rikku. He wasn't smiling — actually he looked very nervous.

"Yes, she's in her room." I responded, stepping aside to let them in. "Do you want me to go and call her?"

"No, it's okay, I'll go there myself." Without waiting for my permission, he climbed the stairs and before I could say anything else he had already disappeared from my sight.

I looked at Baralai, stunned. "What's wrong with him?"

"He decided he needs to talk to your cousin and he couldn't wait any longer." Baralai explained. "He's been completely down since they broke up. Today I managed to convince him to talk to her and he decided it couldn't until tomorrow."

I smiled. "Yeah… Rikku had the same reaction yesterday. But I told her he could wait and apparently she lost the nerve to go talk to him in the meanwhile."

"I just hope they can sort it out this time."

"Me too." I closed the door, and looked at Baralai. "Do you think we should go check on them?"

"No, I don't think so. Let them be for awhile. If they start screaming and throwing things at each other, then we need to go check on them." I giggled and Baralai proceeded, "But I admit I'm not here just because I'm noble and a good friend…"

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning.

He smiled sheepishly. "I was actually wondering if you could lend your Alchemy notes. I know you took that class last year and you did pretty well, so…"

"Yeah, actually I liked that class very much. And I think I still have the notes somewhere. But I don't know where… Can I give them to you tomorrow or something?"

"Sure, I appreciate that a lot, really. It's going to be my salvation!"

"You're so exaggerated…" I waved my hand in dismissal as we went to the living room and sat on the couch.

"No, I'm not!" Baralai exclaimed with a serious expression, but he ended up laughing.

We stayed there for awhile, and as there were no blasts coming from the upper floor, we remained calmly chatting — we talked about school, Gippal and Rikku, relationships in general and I finally found the courage to tell Baralai that I knew about his past relationship with Paine. He looked a little bit surprised, as if he wasn't expecting Paine to expose something so personal.

"Paine and I are very good friends, Baralai. Sometimes, sharing a secret relieves us from its weight." I said quietly.

"I know, I know. It's just that Paine… I never know what she's going to do next. I mean… She keeps surprising me, sometimes hurting me…" He trailed off, looking down.

"She told me you two liked each other, but she didn't tell me why it didn't work out. I guess it is not my place to ask you… After all, it must be a very private subject."

"Yeah, well… I think it's like if you don't talk about it, you can pretend it didn't happen." Baralai bent his head. "The problem is that it did happen… And I don't know how to deal with it."

"Why?"

He lifted his gaze and looked at me. "'Cause I still have feelings for her. I know I made a huge mistake in the past, when I decided to be a Preator instead of fighting for her… and she left, disappointed. But I never stopped liking her. And I came after her! She's the only reason I'm here, Yuna!"

"Have you told her that?" I inquired, placing my hand on his shoulder.

He shook his head. "She doesn't let me. She doesn't even let me get close enough to apologize for what I did."

"What you did… You mean, dumping her?" I didn't want to push my luck, but I confess I was curious.

"Yes, kind of. You know, when I realized that Paine liked me too, I promised her everything. I made her promises that I didn't keep. In her mind, she believes I betrayed her, and that's the worst thing you can do to Paine."

"I know." I paused and then continued, "I don't mean to judge you, Baralai, but maybe Paine's right at some level…"

"She is, that is why I need to apologize, to make her realize how much I care for her. If only I could…"

I didn't know what to say, so we remained in silence until Rikku and Gippal came down the stairs. They were both smiling, so I assumed they had made up.

"We're okay now." Rikku voiced my conclusions.

"Yeah, we talked about everything. We decided to take it easy and to have a non-serious relationship. It seems that it has always worked better for both of us." Strangely, even though Gippal was smiling, he didn't seem pretty happy with that decision of theirs.

"Well, I'm glad you two made up." Baralai said. "I was getting tired of hearing Gippal whining all the time."

"Hey! I didn't whine!" Gippal protested.

He and Rikku sat with us, really close to each other, their fingers entangled. It seemed everything was alright now, it seemed as nothing could spoil their present happiness. Well, that is until Uncle Cid arrived, a couple of minutes later, and found his daughter sitting on the lap of none other than Gippal, under his very own roof!

"What's this!" He roared, making us jump in surprise, because none of us was expecting him to show up so soon.

Rikku fell from Gippal's lap and ended up on her butt on the floor. I got up quickly, in an attempt to calm down Cid. But he didn't want to be calmed down. He wanted explanations, he wanted respect! He kept shouting at Gippal and nothing that Rikku did was enough to make him stop. In fact, it seemed to anger him even more, for he yelled even louder. Suddenly, amongst the confusion, Gippal stood up and said quietly "I'm in love with your daughter."

It was barely audible and yet it was enough to put an end to the turmoil. Cid stopped almost instantly and took a step in Gippal's direction, a threatening expression on his face. "You what?"

Gippal remained where he was and repeated firmly, "I'm in love with Rikku. I want to date her, I want to be with her. And I'm asking your permission to do it."

Cid's expression softened a bit, upon listening to these words. I believe it was because Rikku had always been too independent and she had never asked her father's opinion for anything. And now, all of a sudden, there was this boy who was asking Cid to date his daughter, something she would have never asked him herself. Nevertheless he wasn't ready to give up just yet. "What are your intentions towards her?"

"Only the best." Gippal said quickly. Then, maybe realizing that Cid knew him since he was a little kid and that he also knew his reputation, which wasn't working in his favor in this particular case, he added honestly, "I won't do anything she doesn't want to do. I don't want to hurt her in any way."

My uncle didn't reply; he just looked Gippal up and down, from head to toes, as if evaluating him. Then he turned around and walked to the stairs. "Come by and have dinner with us tomorrow. We'll see it then." As an after thought he looked over his shoulder and added, "And for goodness' sake, go home, it's late and I want to sleep!"

"Yes, sir!"

When Cid disappeared, Rikku, who had remained silent since Gippal had begun to speak, turned to him abruptly. "What did just happen in here?"

"Well… I believe I just asked your father permission to date you." Gippal responded. He wasn't looking so calm anymore, which made me believe it had all been an act to convince my uncle.

Rikku walked towards Gippal. "But why did you do it, Gippal? I mean, now my father is going to—"

"Precisely." He interrupted her. "I know your father, Riks, and so do you. You know he wouldn't let me near you if he thought I was just fooling around with you. You're Cid's girl. He wants the best for you. And so do I..."

"But I thought we'd agreed we'd have a non-serious relationship…" Rikku complained.

Gippal's smile faded a little. "Listen, I like you so very much. And I know you like me too. Do we really have to give a name to this thing we've got? To your father it's a serious thing, to you it's just fun. What difference does it make?"

She looked shyly at him. "And what is it to you?"

He swallowed hard before answering quietly. "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me…"

Rikku grinned broadly, her eyes glistening with joy. She got closer to Gippal and hugged him. When she let go of him she said softly, "I think I'm falling in love with you too."

* * *

A/N: Well, Rikku and Gippal are finally together and happy for good. This makes me think that the story is actually coming to an end :( Maybe three more chapters or so… But don't worry, until then many things are going to happen :)

See ya soon. Alexx


	25. Chapter 24: Intimacy

A/N: Here is the new chapter! As the title says things are getting a little more… intense and intimate between Yuna and Tidus. I hope you like it :-)

And, of course, the song _1000 words_ it's not mine.

* * *

_**Chapter 24**_

_**Intimacy**_

A few days later, Rikku stormed into my room early in the morning. "Yunie, Yunie, wake up!"

I pulled the covers up, in an attempt to block the sunlight that was coming from the window she was opening, and turned to the side, shutting my eyes again. "C'mon Rikku, it's too early!"

"But I really need to tell you something important!" She continued, sitting on my bed and yanking the blankets away. "Please, Yunie, listen; it's really important!"

I sighed deeply and opened one eye, still holding my pillow over my head. "What?"

She pulled her legs to her chest and rested her arms on her knees. "Pops is going away for the weekend!"

"What about it?" I asked, not following her line of thought.

"Well, he's taking Brother with him this time." She continued, grinning. "And… I was thinking that maybe we could… ya know… throw that party I wanted so badly…" She was still grinning and showing her teeth, as if to convince me to tag along with her crazy plan.

"You're out of your mind." I said, yawning and closing my eyes again. Maybe I could still sleep a few more minutes…

"No, no, no! Listen to me!" She shook my leg. "If we throw the party Saturday night, we can clean up everything before they arrive Sunday evening."

"Rikku," I began, sitting up and rubbing my eyes tiredly. "Do you really, really wanna do this? Especially now? I mean, Uncle Cid has just given you an opportunity to date Gippal openly… in the house… and you want to throw a party? You know if you mess this up he's probably going to ground you until you're thirty or something…"

She pouted slightly. "But I want it so much… And Pops will never know. And Gippal has nothing to do with the party. Even if Pops finds out and grounds me I won't stop seeing him."

Gippal had had dinner with us three nights before — I think it had been the first time I'd seen him so well-dressed, with an expensive jacket (that I believed it belonged to Baralai), new black pants instead of the usual jeans and a white buttoning-up shirt; he had even bought flowers for Rikku and for me. It had been a family dinner and even Brother had been there. Cid had asked a lot of questions, Gippal had answered them all. Brother had asked a lot of questions, Rikku had told him to shut up. I had tried to keep a light conversation, Rikku had tried not to show her nervousness, Gippal had been extremely polite and gracious — he could be a gentleman when he wanted to. When the dinner had ended, Cid had said in his grumpy voice that Gippal was allowed to date Rikku if _she_ wanted to date him. "But if I ever find that you hurt my little girl…" He said threateningly, before shaking Gippal's hand. And so, Rikku and Gippal were now a "real couple", as my cousin liked to say.

"I know you won't stop seeing him, but it'll be more difficult." I told her. "Besides, that's beyond the point. What I mean is that your father trusted you… And now you're going to deceive him."

"Well, Yunie, you know Pops is really boring when it comes to parties. You can't count on him to lighten up the mood… And I know you want this party too. It'd be the perfect opportunity to introduce us to your new boyfriend…" She added mischievously.

I rolled my eyes. "There's no boyfriend, Riks. I've already told you that."

"You meaning you broke up with him?" She looked shocked.

"What? No! I mean…" I stopped, irritated with my cousin's growing grin. "It's way too early to argue with you!"

"Yeah, yeah, well… We can always talk about this later if you want." Rikku said. "But if you say you didn't break up with him it's because there's a guy after all."

"Oh, please, Rikku, give me a break…" I whined, pulling the covers over my head again. "You're being extremely annoying right now."

"I know. But you're not talking to me… and I want to find out who this boyfriend is." She paused and then continued, as if a plan had come up to her. "I bet he's not as good-looking as Tidus."

I smiled. If only she knew… "You're wrong, he's very good-looking." I told her, playing along with her.

"Ah-ah! So you're admitting there is a boyfriend?"

I pushed the covers aside and grinned at my cousin. "Maybe…"

"Who is he? Do I know him?" She asked hastily.

"Whoa there, girl! He's a very nice and funny guy, a bit goofy sometimes…" I laughed. "And I don't think you know him." _At least not as I do…_

"You meanie! You're not telling me who he is…" She pouted.

"Well, maybe I don't want you to know. Listen, if I help you out with the party, will you promise you'll leave me alone with this 'boyfriend' story?" I asked suddenly.

She eyed me suspiciously, weighting the two alternatives. She knew she couldn't throw the party without my help and she also knew she wouldn't find anything out about my so-called boyfriend. Finally, she ended up saying, "Fine, I want the party! You meanie!"

-----XX-----

Next Saturday, around eight o'clock, people started knocking on our door. Uncle Cid and Brother had left early in the morning and Rikku and I had been preparing everything for the big party that night. Gippal had helped us out, as well as Baralai, Paine, Nooj, Shuyin and Tidus, who had publicly announced he was going back to Zanarkand within a week and he was taking his brother with him.

"That means this is not going to be just a party!" Rikku exclaimed. "It's going to be a party in your honor! Both of you."

"Thanks, Rikster, that's kind of you." Tidus said, hugging her. They were good friends and now they had to say goodbye again.

I turned to Shuyin, to whom I would have to say goodbye too. "So, Auron took you, huh?"

Shuyin scratched the back of his head, just the way Tidus used to do. "Yeah, he's gonna give me a shot. He talked to the Abes and they're willing to contract me if I show them I'm good."

"You'll have no problem then. You've very talented, you'll be a great player for the team." I said, smiling. "And you and your brother will rock the city of Zanarkand."

He looked at me. "I wish Zanarkand wasn't so far away… I really didn't want to go with Tidus, leaving you here all alone."

"I'm not alone, Shu. I've got Rikku, Paine, Lulu, Baralai, Gippal…"

"Yeah, but you don't have Tidus. I know how things went last time he left." Shuyin finished somberly.

"Things will be different this time. I know it." I reassured him, touching his arm and walking away to help Rikku, who was carrying a tray full of plastic cups.

And now, a few hours later, people were finally showing up for the party. So far we were twenty: me and Rikku and our closest friends (adding LeBlanc, who had come with Nooj, and Dona and Barthello, who had come with Tidus) and some other friends of Rikku's, from high school, and mine, from college. Nevertheless, people kept arriving and arriving, until the house was practically packed.

I got to the living room and dropped myself on the couch next to Paine. "I'm exhausted and it's only 10 p.m.!"

She smirked. "Maybe you shouldn't have encouraged your cousin to invite all of her friends from high school. She seems to know a lot of people." She added, looking around.

"Yeah, and they're all noisy and perky like herself." I said miserably. "I just hope your sister won't sue us because we awoken Vidina."

"Don't worry, tonight she and Wakka went to have dinner with his parents and the baby will probably sleep there." Paine explained, taking a sip of her drink. "Anyways, he's used to sleep with noise around him. With Wakka for a father it couldn't be any different."

I laughed. "Don't be mean. Wakka is an excellent father."

"I didn't say he wasn't." She replied. "I just said he was noisy. But Vidina is already used to him. He is a very intelligent baby. You know, yesterday I found him playing with the Moogle; they are very fond of each other."

"That's so sweet…" I said gently, smiling upon seeing her proud look when talking about her little nephew.

She then turned serious and looked at me. "So, Tidus announced he's going back to Zanarkand. And he's taking Shuyin with him. How are you dealing with this?"

"I'm fine… I mean, I'm trying to be fine."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Okay." She replied simply. "However, if you need something…"

"I know. Thanks." I told her with a smile. After a moment, I got up. "I'm going to get a drink. Want something?"

Paine frowned. "I thought you and Rikku had agreed there would be no alcoholic drinks tonight."

I smiled. "And there aren't. At least for the guests. But I'm not a guest and if I don't drink tonight I think I'm gonna get nuts!" Paine laughed and I walked away.

After getting a strong drink in the kitchen I roamed through the house, making sure everything was under control and nobody was crossing the line. Surprisingly, the kids were actually behaving, despite the noise and the crowd. I spent some time talking to Shuyin, I danced with Baralai and Gippal (we had moved the furniture aside in the large living-room to make space for a dance floor), I had even met Dona and we had greeted each other courteously. I was currently on the kitchen once again, to refill my empty glass, when my phone rang.

"Yeah?" I answered, putting the phone between my ear and my shoulder, while I took a bottle of orange juice out of the fridge — it was time to return to my sweet old juice; after four or five strong drinks, I had already had enough alcohol for one night.

"Yuna, I've got a surprise for you!" Lenne's voice said from the other side of the line.

"What is it?" I asked excitedly, knowing it had something to do with the song _1000 words_ — we had named it a couple of nights before, when I had met her and her producer to know about the progresses of their work.

"Remember when I said the song would take a moth to be ready?" I answered affirmatively and she continued, "Well, it's going to take less than that. Ruber and I had a sudden inspiration for the music and we spent all yesterday and today recording a demonstration!"

"That's great!"

"Yeah, I know! I've got it right here with me. I was thinking of going over to your place to show it to you. Are you home?"

"Yes, I am." I looked around me to the crowd of kids. "Actually, Lenne, Rikku's having a party, so if you wanna come, you're welcome."

"A party? It sounds cool."

"Yeah, everyone's here. Everyone." I added, feeling the need to warn her that Shuyin was at the party too.

"Oh. Well, I'm going there anyway. I'm not thinking of staying too long anyway…"

"Okay, then. I'll be waiting for you."

After hanging up, I started looking for Tidus. I hadn't seen him much that night, but then again I was worried about keeping everything under control. I found him chatting with a couple of guys near the entrance — I recognized them as being our classmates in high school and also Tidus' friends. I approached them silently and touched him gently on the arm. He turned around and smiled at me. "Yuna."

"Hey. Hello, guys. How are you?" I greeted the other boys and then focused on Tidus again. "I need you to do me a favor."

He stepped away from the group and grabbed my hand. "Sure, anything. What's wrong?"

"Lenne's coming on her way here." I explained. "She knows Shuyin's here, but she's coming anyway; she needs to talk to me. Shuyin doesn't know anything yet and I don't know how to tell him…"

"You want me to tell him."

"If you could just keep him away long enough, maybe… Yeah, maybe it's better if you tell him." I ended up agreeing with him.

He put an arm around my waist, caressing the small of my back. "I'll do it. I just hope they don't… you know."

I nodded and placed my hands on his shoulders, leaning my face against his chest and closing my eyes, resting a little. After a moment, I took a step back and smiled at him. "I'm gonna wait for Lenne on the front porch. It's quieter there."

In fact, the porch wasn't much quieter, for there were still lots of noise coming from the house. Nevertheless, there was no one there and that was a blessing that night. Lenne arrived about five minutes later, driving a small blue car. She parked it near the house and came walking the last few meters.

"Here's _your_ song." She said, making a reference to a similar sentence I had said to her the week before.

I smiled. "Come on in. Let's go and listen to it in my room."

She hesitated. "I'm not sure, Yuna. Maybe I… should go."

Understanding her uneasiness, I said calmly "Don't worry, the party is downstairs. There's no one on the first floor."

"Okay, then. But I won't stay for long."

-----XX-----

"It is beautiful, Lenne!" I exclaimed, a few minutes later, after listening to the demo Lenne had given me.

"I'm glad you like it. We still need to make it better, of course. The sound isn't the best and we want to introduce a few more instruments — this is still a very acoustic version. And there are a few parts that I must perfect in someway. But all in all I think we did a pretty good job."

"Yes, I think it's wonderful."

At that moment, there was a soft knock on the wooden door and both Lenne and I looked in that direction as a blonde haired head came into view from the slightly open door. "Hey, can I come in?"

"Sure, Tidus." I said, watching him entering my room and closing the door behind him. A sudden thought crossed my mind — the last time he had been in my room had been when he had visited me during my sleep, on the night he had come back to Besaid.

"Hello, Tidus. How are you?" Lenne greeted, smiling at him. "I heard you're returning to Zanarkand soon."

"Where did you hear it?" He asked, glancing at me.

"Downstairs." She simply replied. "Then I asked Yuna and she confirmed. I thought you would stay longer this time." She added, after a short pause. "For Shuyin."

Tidus looked at me again. I knew he was wondering how much I had told Lenne — but he knew I hadn't told her about Shuyin. That was something I would leave up to him himself. Yet, Tidus also knew his brother wouldn't seek Lenne again, so he faced Lenne and told her quietly, "Shuyin doesn't need me to stay… He's coming with me — Auron got him a contract with the Abes."

Lenne blinked. "Really? That's… wonderful. I didn't know…"

"No, you didn't." I intervened. "Only today did they tell us. Apparently it was all a big secret, but… Well, it's only a week left before they're gone, so…"

"A week? That's… so soon." Lenne looked at Tidus, but he was staring at me. And I was staring at him. I think that, at that moment, she understood what was going on. "I think I should go now." She announced, slowly getting up. "I took more time than I needed."

"No, Lenne, don't say that! You're always welcome."

"I know, Yuna. Thanks, but… I really need to go." She looked at Tidus again; this time he was looking back at her. "Maybe I should… Do you think I should talk to him?"

Tidus shrugged. "I don't know, Lenne. Maybe… I don't know."

"If you want to say goodbye, Lenne, then I think you should talk to him." I whispered. "Everything needs a proper ending; otherwise it will hunt you with doubts and memories. I know it."

"I know you do." She sighed and then turned to leave. When she reached Tidus, who had remained near the door, she turned around and said to me "I'll call you soon. And… don't forget to show him the song, okay?"

I nodded, thanking her silently. Tidus blinked, not understanding. "Song? What song?"

"The one she wrote for you." She spoke softly, opening the door and disappearing behind it.

Tidus and I remained in silence for awhile, just the two of us in the large room. The music was still very loud beneath us, and even with the door closed we could still hear it clearly, as well as people's voices and laughs. Sighing, I fell onto the bed with my arms wide open and closed my eyes. Why had I agreed with that party again?

I heard Tidus steps approaching me and then I felt the subtle change of weight as he lied on the bed next to me. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, kissing my outstretched hand.

I smiled as I heard his sweet voice. "Yes, I'm just a bit tired. It's been a busy day."

"Yeah." Another short pause. "Why was Lenne talking about a song?"

"Because that's the project we have in common. I wrote her a poem, she turned it into a song. It's called _1000 words_."

"I see. Did you write it for me?"

"She thinks I did." I turned my head to the side, so I could look at him. "_I_ think I did. It just flew out of my hand and into the paper. But I was thinking of you… as always."

"I would like to listen to it sometime."

"Well, you can listen to it tonight. That's what Lenne came here to do — she wanted to show me the demo. It's not the final product yet, but I think it's very good. And I'm sure she would like a second opinion." I stood up and walked to the small secretary.

"I don't think Lenne would want my opinion." I heard him saying from behind me. Looking over my shoulder I saw he had sat up on the bed and was scratching the back of his head. "I'm not the musical type, as you know it."

I chuckled. "Yeah, you're right, she probably wouldn't want it." Then I turned serious again. "But _I_ want it."

He got up and slowly walked in my direction. Encircling me in his arms, he kissed my forehead. "And I want to give it to you."

Suddenly, the door flung open, startling both of us. Quickly turning in that direction, I found myself looking at a very drunk couple. I didn't know them, so I supposed they were Rikku's schoolmates. The girl had short black hair and was wearing very revealing clothes and too much make-up that covered her face. She could hardly see where she was going and the boy was in the same state of drunkenness. His hair fell to his eyes and he was holding a bottle of vodka in his right hand, while the other arm was wrapped around the girl's waist. They were laughing too loudly and also kissing violently, their tongues out of their mouths in a passionate encounter.

Tidus and I looked at each other and then back at the couple who had stopped kissing and was now staring at us with wide eyes. "Whatcha doin' here?" The boy asked, his words stumbling out of his mouth all mumbled and hard to perceive.

"That's what I ask _you_!" I exclaimed, stepping forward.

Tidus put an arm around my waist and shook his head. "They're drunk — they don't understand and they don't care." He whispered to me. Then he let go of me, moving towards the couple and grabbing the boy's right arm. "C'mon, you two. Can't you see this room is taken? Go somewhere else."

The boy eyed him from below and then turned around and stepped out of the room, dragging the girl with him. Tidus followed them until they were completely out, then he came back in and slammed the door, making sure he locked it this time. "There, they won't bother us now. They'll find another room." He said as he sat on the bed again.

"Oh, Yevon, that's so disgusting!" I said, thinking about how close it had been my room and my bed. I couldn't even imagine a stranger lying in my bed, even less _doing it_! I thought that if that ever happened I would never be able to sleep in there until I had it all cleaned up again. And even so, I wasn't quite sure if I would feel comfortable…

"What's so disgusting? Spending a nice time with your girlfriend?" Tidus asked mischievously, a naughty smile playing on his lips.

"No, silly!" I giggled, sitting by him and throwing him a pillow. "Doing it in some other person's bed. I mean… C'mon, having sex is personal, it's not—" I interrupted myself, feeling my cheeks burning. I knew I was blushing madly, so I tried to change the subject, "And where did they find the vodka? Rikku and I agreed to stick with the non-alcoholic drinks."

Tidus chuckled. "Probably the bottle was theirs and they brought it with them. After all, no teenager likes a non-alcoholic party. As for what you were saying…" He continued, his eyes bright with mischief.

"What about that?" I asked, swallowing. Suddenly I was feeling quite nervous.

"No big deal. I was just wondering… So you prefer it on your own bed." He said in a low voice, as if speaking to himself, while glancing behind to the large empty bed, the same smile plastered on his face. I could imagine clearly what was going through his mind and I began to feel self-conscious. I mean, we were locked up in my bedroom, in a house where apparently the alcohol was running free and we had just been caught by a couple of teenagers. People would definitely get some wrong ideas about that. And so would we, if we stayed there much longer…

"Maybe we should go back downstairs." I said, ignoring his last comment. I began to stand up, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me down again, into his strong arms.

"Why? Don't you enjoy being here?" He whispered against my ear, his warm breath sending chills throughout my body.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "You know I do. And you know I want you too. But… I don't know…"

His arms slowly let go of me and he looked me in the eye. For a moment I thought I could see the hurt in his blue ones, but he hid it and said softly, "You're right, I'm sorry. Let's go downstairs."

The moment he got up though, I knew I was making a huge mistake. I don't know if it was the feeling of emptiness that filled me when he stopped touching me, or if it was the pain I had seen in his eyes, but I just knew I couldn't let him go away without showing him how much I loved him… how much I needed him. Within a week he would take off to Zanarkand and if I kept being stubborn like I had been so long ago, I would lose him once again. And losing Tidus was something I could not bear again.

He wanted me, I wanted him — it was as simple as that. Why did I have to complicate things? Why did I have to doubt and wonder at a time like this? To the hell with doubts! I loved him! I didn't care about tomorrow, as long as I had him with me that night. It was a feeling I could not stop, like one cannot stop the rain.

"Tidus." I called, getting up and grabbing his arm. "Don't go."

He turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulders gently. "Yuna…" I could see in his eyes that he was unsure. I knew he wanted to be with me, but I could see he was also afraid of it. Neither of us knew what the future would bring.

I slowly lifted my hand and caressed his cheek, a shy smile forming on my lips. "Would you like to hear the song now?"

"Would I?" He questioned, his eyes searching mine.

My smile broadened, reassuring him, and I nodded. "I think you would." Walking away from him, I turned on the CD player and the song began to play.

_I know that you're hiding things…_

I returned to the bed, where Tidus was seated again. Sitting next to him I closed my eyes and leaned in, closing the distance between us and softly kissing him. Then I just placed my head on his shoulder and we listened to the music. When it ended, Tidus looked at me and held my face in his hands. "It is wonderful. Thank you." He whispered, placing a gentle kiss on my lips.

"You don't have to thank me. It's just a way of expressing my feelings for you. But it's not the only one." With that said I began kissing him again, more ardently this time, my hands running trough his hair and neck. I parted my lips and the kiss became even more intense — his hands traveled from my shoulders to my back and back again, pulling me closer; mine had fallen to his chest, beginning to unbutton his blue shirt, taking it off so I could feel his soft skin on mine.

The kiss we were sharing was going out of control, so we broke apart, breathing heavily. I opened my eyes and met his, where I saw lust and love in equal parts, but also a glimpse of insecurity. I couldn't blame him, for I felt uneasy myself, not knowing if we were making the right decision. But I wanted it so much that I just didn't care about the consequences anymore… My desire was taking over me.

I kissed him again, to reassure him I wanted this as much as he did. I ran my hands through his abs, while I traced the tip of my tongue over his neck and approached his ear. "I need you, Tidus. Stay with me tonight." I whispered, before gently sucking on his earlobe.

He didn't reply, but he became bolder after that — I let his hands explore my body as I pushed him onto the bed, me on top of him. He smiled, as I spread my legs around his torso, and rested his hands on my thighs. Slowly, he started gliding them under my skirt. I threw my head back and moaned softly. His touch was so sweet….

I lifted my arms above my head and allowed him to take the dress off, so slowly that my body was aching in anticipation. He was taking his time because he knew how aroused that made me. He knew everything about me — what to do, where to touch, how to pleasure me… He was perfect!

He threw the dress aside and looked at me with longing. "You're so beautiful…" I smiled in response. He had said the same thing the first time we had been together, my first time ever. Apparently he hadn't forgotten how I appreciated those words, how important and special they made me feel.

I bent down for another kiss and he wrapped me in his arms, rolling over and trading places with me. Now I was flat on my back and he was on top of me, still looking me in the eye. "I love you." He added in a serious and truthful tone, caressing my face with his fingers.

I felt an overflow of emotions and found myself unable to prevent a tear from sliding down my cheek. It was so good to hear him saying those words — it was just like a ray of sunlight.

He kissed my tear away, stopping its progress down my face. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm sorry about everything…" He would have continued if I hadn't hushed him, placing two fingers on his lips.

"Not tonight." I begged. Right now, I didn't need apologies. I just needed to sense his caress, to feel his love… "I don't care about what happened anymore. I love you."

"I love you too." He replied, softly kissing my fingers and bending down to another passionate kiss that led to a lot more throughout the night.

-----XX-----

Next morning, the sunlight flooded my bedroom, hitting my face and forcing me to wake up. I yawned and stretched myself; then, swiftly remembering the events that had taken place the night before, I looked to the pillow beside me and, for a moment, I wished I was still asleep, for I woke up to an empty bed.

Tidus was gone and he had taken all of his belongings with him.

I let myself fall again onto the soft pillows and sighed deeply. Even though I tried to think rationally, I couldn't. I couldn't understand why Tidus hadn't stayed, why he hadn't at least said goodbye… Before I realized he had left, I had been dreaming of waking up in his arms — soft lips touching soft skin, gentle fingers caressing warm bodies… All those thoughts of affection and intimacy were now gone. All I felt was a growing cold taking over my body and soul — I was alone… again.

An hour later, I finally got out of bed. I put a dressing gown over my naked body and went to the bathroom, where I took a long hot shower — the water running down my skin soothed me and when I dried myself with a white towel I was appeased. After returning to my room, I got dressed in white cotton pants and a baby-blue t-shirt and pulled my hair back into a short ponytail. Then I decided to check on my cousin — I had noticed the house was incredibly quiet that morning, considering there had been a party there last night.

I knocked on Rikku's door and opened it, entering my cousin's room and going to open the curtains. "Rise and shine, princess!" I told her, turning to her bed and pulling the covers aside.

"'Morning, Yuna." replied a very sleepy Gippal.

My eyes widened in shock as I placed my eyes on his figure. Rikku's blonde head rested on his shoulder, her eyes peacefully closed. At least they were both wearing clothes under the blankets, as I noticed when Gippal gently woke Rikku up. Hopefully they hadn't done anything. _Like you did?_ I asked myself, feeling my cheeks warming up.

Rikku slowly opened her eyes, smiling at Gippal. He kissed her forehead and then pointed at me. Rikku followed his finger and she almost jumped when she saw me, sitting up nervously. "Yunie!"

I gave her a small smile. "It wasn't my intention to interrupt anything. I just came to check on you, but I can see you're okay, so… I'll be downstairs." With that said I walked out of the room, not even waiting for a reply.

I descended the stairs and entered the living-room. It was a complete mess — the furniture was still pushed aside, there were glasses all over the place, as well as plates with leftovers. The kitchen wasn't much better, with everything out of place. I didn't even know where to begin cleaning up…

About fifteen minutes later, Rikku and Gippal came down, holding hands and fully dressed now. "Are you sure you don't need any help?" Gippal asked, kissing my cousin's hand.

Rikku grinned. "Yeah, I'm sure. Yuna and I can handle it. But thanks anyway…"

"Okay then." He waved in my direction and Rikku escorted him to the front door. They kissed goodbye and then he walked away. Rikku came back inside and headed my way.

"Nothing happened." She quickly explained, her cheeks a light shade of pink. "You do believe me, don't you, Yunie?"

I smiled at her, gently touching her arm. "Of course I do, sweetheart. And even if something had happened… it was none of my business. As long as you're happy, I'm happy for you."

She looked down. "I'm happy. But Gippal and I did nothing. We just… slept. Literally." She added, lifting her gaze to me.

"Okay, sweetie." I assured her. Then I decided to change the subject and I looked around. "So, where do you want to begin cleaning up?"

We spent the next five hours cleaning everything in the house and we only stopped for breakfast and lunch. When everything was finally spotless and immaculate we sat on the couch, relaxing for a bit. I quickly drifted away in thoughts — I still couldn't assimilate that Tidus had left me to wake up alone.

"Are you okay, Yunie?" Rikku asked, eyeing me closely.

I looked in her direction. Even though she was serious, her eyes were still shining with love — she was really happy. Trying to smile, so I wouldn't worry her, I said softly, "I'm just a little tired. I didn't have much sleep last night, you know… because of the party and all."

She nodded. "Yeah, I understand. I'm very tired too. But the night was sweet…" She looked down again, embarrassed, a slight blush coloring her face. "You know, yesterday I went to look for you, so we could send everybody away, but you had disappeared and your door was locked so I supposed you had gone to sleep. I ended up asking Gippal to help me and… he stayed for the night." She completed.

"Yeah… well as long as Uncle Cid doesn't find out, you're fine." I told her. She looked at me pleadingly. "I won't tell him anything, Riks, you know it."

She hugged me, thanking me. "I know, Yunie. You're the best cousin ever!"

A few minutes later I climbed the stairs and went to my room. Lying on the bed, I let myself drift away in thoughts, reliving the sweet memories of the previous night, the moment when Tidus had laid his head on my shoulder, closing his eyes and falling asleep. I had stayed awake for a little longer, playing with his blonde hair and thinking how good it was to have him in my arms again. But now he wasn't in my arms anymore. In fact, he hadn't said anything yet, not calling, not sending a message, not coming to explain it in person… I didn't know anything about him.

_Maybe I should call him._ But I wouldn't. He was the one who had left, he was the one who should say something first.

Getting up, I walked to my desk. The CD Lenne had given me was still on the CD player. Biting my lower lip, I pressed the play button and sat on the chair, listening to the song with my eyes closed. The melody flooded the air… and my soul.

_I know that you're hiding things, using gentle words to shelter me_

_Your words were like a dream, _

_But dreams could never fool me, not that easily_

_I acted so distant then, didn't say goodbye before you left_

_But I was listening_

_You fight your battles far from me, far too easily_

"_Save your tears 'cause I'll come back"_

_I could hear that you whispered as you walked through that door_

_But still I swore to hide the pain, when I turned back the pages_

_Shouting might have been the answer_

_What if I cried my eyes out and begged you not to depart_

_But now I'm not afraid to say what's in my heart_

_Though a thousand words have never been spoken, they'll fly to you_

_Crossing over the time and distance holding you, suspended on silver wings_

_And a thousand words, one thousand confessions will cradle you_

_Making all of the pain you feel seem far away, they'll hold you forever_

_The dream isn't over yet, though I often say I can't forget_

_I still relive that day_

_You've been there with me all the way, I still hear you say_

"_Wait for me, I'll write you letter"_

_I could see how you stand with your eyes to the floor_

_But still I swore to hide the doubt when I turned back the pages_

_Anger might have been the answer_

_What if I'd hung my head and said that I couldn't wait_

_But now I'm strong enough to know it's not too late_

'_Cause a thousand words call out though the ages_

_They'll fly to you, even though I can't see_

_I know they're reaching you, suspended on silver wings_

_Oh a thousand words, one thousand embraces will cradle you_

_Making all of your weary days seem far away, they'll hold you forever_

_Oh a thousand words have never been spoken_

_They'll fly to you, they'll carry you home and back into my arms_

_Suspended on silver wings_

_And a thousand words call out through the ages_

_They'll cradle you, making all of the lonely years to lonely days_

_They'll hold you forever_

_Ohhh a thousand words

* * *

_

A/N: That's all for now, guys. I hope you liked it. Please tell me what you think of it :)

I decided to add the complete version of _1000 words_ in the end; I hope you didn't find it too boring.

I would really like to know what you think, so you know what to do… R&R people!


	26. Chap25: Every story must have an ending

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, everyone. It's just that I haven't had the time to do anything else besides studying lately. So bear with me please, 'cause I have no idea when next chapter is coming out. By the way, this is the last chapter, the next one will be an epilogue. Hope you'll like it

* * *

_**Chapter 25**_

_**Every story must have an ending**_

"Yuna…"

A soft whisper… so soft I almost didn't hear it.

A gentle touch… warming up my cold skin.

I sighed, smiling in my sleep. Then, I heard that kind voice calling me again… and again. I didn't want to wake up, but my eyes fluttered open nevertheless and I found myself looking directly into Tidus' eyes. He smiled tenderly at me. "Hey, sweetie."

I blinked, feeling confused and unable to think clearly. "Tidus?"

He ran a hand through my hair, resting it on my neck and looking at me adoringly, his blue eyes glistening with love. For a moment, I believed it was still Saturday night and I had dreamt everything that had followed — waking up without him by my side, spending the rest of the day impatiently waiting for a call from him and finally going to bed, disappointed he hadn't called. For a moment, I thought he hadn't left me to wake up alone and I smiled, relieved and reassured. But then, my smile faded as I placed my eyes on his black sweater. _He wasn't wearing that at the party_, I thought, swallowing hard. _He wasn't wearing it when we were together…_

He noticed the change in my face and he frowned. "Yuna, I…"

"Why didn't you call?" I asked lowly. Now I could see he was fully dressed and he was lying _on_ the blankets, not _beneath_ them. My lips twisted with the sudden pain in my heart — he had left me after all; it hadn't been just a bad dream…

He caressed my face. "I couldn't. I'm sorry, baby, I wanted to."

"I don't understand…" I told him honestly, sitting up and rubbing my eyes to wipe away the sleep and the tears that were forming. I wouldn't cry without hearing what he had to say…

He sighed and tried to put an arm around my shoulders, but I got away from his reach, pulling my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. I didn't _want_ to be comforted by him right now; I was hurt, I needed an explanation, I needed him to give me a reason for his behavior… Maybe then I could understand, and forgive. I looked at him questioningly, waiting for him to explain himself.

He withdrew his hand, sadness stamped in his eyes. "Last night… was wonderful," he began, "and I wanted nothing more than stay with you for the rest of the day. But Auron called me at the break of dawn and I…" He trailed off and I noticed he was having difficulty in continuing — he had never been the most eloquent guy…

If it had been a couple of years ago, or even a few months, I would have probably kept my silence, standing my ground and making him understand my position — he had hurt me again. But so many things had happened since then, so much had changed… _I_ had changed. And I had also learned that I wasn't the owner of the truth and that sometimes I needed to hear what other people had to tell me… _This is one of those times_, I thought, looking at Tidus.

"Why did Auron call you?" I asked quietly, changing position — my legs were now stretched under the sheets and my hands placed on my lap. I wasn't going to touch him yet, he knew it, but he seemed to relax a bit when he realized I would listen to his explanation.

Closing his eyes, he sighed deeply. "Auron… he called me because… because of Zanarkand. The Abes were demanding my presence there, for a press conference."

I frowned. "But… but you were here. I mean, you were here _in Besaid_. How could they expect you to go to Zanarkand for a press conference?"

He smirked. "They could expect it because they sent their fastest ship to come and pick me up." My eyes widened and he continued, "You can't say no to these people, Yunie. They always get what they want."

I didn't say anything for a long moment. I knew the Abes were capable of calling Tidus anywhere, anytime. And I knew he would go as soon as they called him — it was his job on the line, he couldn't risk it. But I was still surprised at what had happened. "So you're telling me you left because you had to go to Zanarkand for a press conference?" He nodded seriously. "Then… how come you're already here? I mean, what time is it?"

"It's four in the morning." He answered quickly. Then he continued, a mischievous smile forming on his lips. "I've just arrived from the airport — I don't know why, but every time I come to Besaid in the middle of the night I always tend to visit you in your sleep…"

I smiled, and this time I didn't get away when he reached for me, pulling me towards him in a tight embrace. When he let go of me, he kissed my forehead tenderly and kept an arm around me, as I placed my head on his shoulder. He then told me the details — the Abes had called Auron, who had called Tidus in turn. He had intended on leaving me a note or something before going to meet Auron but he hadn't had the time. "Besides, I didn't know what to say…" He admitted, shrugging. "Words didn't seem enough to… to express what I felt last night… I felt… so happy, so complete…"

"I know." I whispered, one of my hands placed on his chest, my fingers playing with his sweater. "Last night, I felt whole again…"

We stayed in silence for a long moment, just enjoying each other's company. Tidus was playing with my hair distractedly, caressing my face now and then. I was watching his chest rise and fall with each steady breath, as I also breathed in his scent.

"What's going to happen now, Tidus?" I asked quietly after awhile.

"Now, my love," he replied in the same tone, "you're going to sleep, 'cause you need to rest."

"I don't wanna wake up alone again…" I whispered, cuddling up close to him.

"You won't, Yunie. I'll be here." He said, kissing my hair.

I sighed. "You'll be here tomorrow, but what about the next day? I don't want to say goodbye again, Tidus."

He placed two fingers under my chin and tilted my head up, so I could look him in the eye. Then he kissed me, before saying softly, "Then don't say goodbye… Let's just say goodnight for now."

I sighed again and nodded, lying in his arms and allowing sleep to take over me.

-----XX-----

The morning after, I woke up late. Tidus was still sleeping by my side, a peaceful expression softening his features. I sighed contentedly, finding some comfort in his presence; he had stayed with me just like he had said he would. His hair was falling to his face and I gently brushed it away, kissing him softly on the cheek; he didn't wake up and I decided to let him rest a little longer, after all, he had had a long day the day before…

Finding a spot next to him, I lied there, accommodating my body to his and placing my head on his chest. I slowly closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was Monday, it was a school day — I didn't know what time it was but I was sure I was extremely late for college (thankfully Gippal was the one to give a ride to Paine and Rikku that day). Yet, I didn't care how late I was or even if I was going to miss my classes… I was with Tidus, I had spent the night with him — two nights in a row actually — and I just couldn't be happier. My joy just wasn't complete because of the fact that Tidus would be gone within a few days… I grimaced; I really didn't want to think about that at the moment.

Tidus shifted position and I looked up at him. He had his eyes opened and a huge grin was forming on his lips. "Hey, stranger…"

I returned the smile, stretching my neck so I could give him a kiss. "Hey. Did you have nice dreams?"

"I dreamed I was with you…" He answered. "It was a good dream. Then I realized I _was_ with you. It was even better."

I laughed and then kissed him again — he placed his arms around me and pulled me closer to him. "Thank you." I said softly.

"For what?"

"For staying 'til the end." He didn't reply but I felt his embrace tightening. Looking at him, I saw he had become serious again — I could tell by his expression he had something to say, but he was trying to find the words. "What's wrong, baby? You know you can tell me…"

He looked at me and sighed. "I know. But I don't… I have to tell you, but if I could… I don't think I want to."

I sat up straight and looked him in the eye. I was beginning to feel worried with such hesitation from his part — what had happened that he wasn't telling me? "What is it, Tidus?" I asked firmly. "Tell me."

He noticed my distress and ran his hands up and down my arms, resting them on my shoulders. "It's nothing to worry about, Yuna."

"Then tell me."

He nodded and then blurted out, "I'm not going back to Zanarkand next Saturday as it was planned. I'm going today."

It took me a moment to assimilate what he was telling me. When I finally did it, a single word escaped my lips "Today?"

"Tonight, actually." He explained. "And I was supposed to have stayed there yesterday — the Abes wanted me to stay. But I told Auron I had to come back, I had to… to tell you, to explain to you… I just couldn't go without saying anything."

I bit my lower lip and took a deep breath to calm myself down. It would be the worst moment to have a nervous crisis… "Is Shuyin going with you?" I asked as calmly as I could. My voice was barely audible.

Tidus nodded again. "He's already packing. But he won't go without saying…"

"Goodbye." I finished, looking down at my hands. I took another deep breath and then faced him again. "How much time do we have?"

Tidus looked at his wrist watch. "Not much… I still have to pack my things and I want to say farewell to our friends. And I want to be with you…" He added, cupping my face with his hands.

"I want to be with you too." I whispered, getting closer to him. "Until the last the moment." I leaned in, kissing him softly on the lips.

About an hour later we left my room and descended the stairs to find an empty house. We got out through the front door and climbed into his rented vehicle. He turned on the engine and looked through the window to my house and to the house next to it — Lulu's.

"I have to come and say goodbye to them." He said, driving away.

"Maybe later, when Wakka's at home. He would hate you if you didn't say anything to him." I stated.

It didn't take us long until we reached Shuyin's apartment. Tidus parked the car and we both got out, entering the building and taking the elevator to the third floor. It was a strange thing, but now that we knew our time was scarce, instead of enjoying every moment, it seemed we could hardly touch each other — it seemed all the passionate fervor we were feeling had been depleted that morning in my room and now we were somehow trying to begin dealing with the separation that was upon us…

Tidus opened the door and we both entered the small apartment. Shuyin was in his room, but as soon as he heard the door closing he came into view. "Finally, Tidus! I was seeing you'd— Yuna!" He smiled at me, and then looked at his brother questioningly.

"I already know, Shu." I told him, half-smiling.

"Yeah, I told her." Tidus explained. "I owed her that."

"I know." Shuyin said, nodding. His eyes met mine. "I was gonna visit you later, to say… you know."

"Well, let's not think of that right now." I replied, trying to sound cheerful. "I came to help you packing."

"Then what are you waiting for, girl?" Shuyin asked jokingly, throwing the clothes he was holding in his hands at me. "Start working!"

I laughed and began folding the clothes as we kept playing and joking with each other. Shuyin had decided he wasn't going to take anything with him, except for his clothes and some of his personal belongings. When I asked him what he was going to do with the apartment, he said that he was going to rent it, maybe even sell it. Anyways, he wasn't worried about that — all he cared about was the life he was about to start. "And if everything goes well," he added, a glint in his eyes, "I won't have money problems and maybe I'll keep this apartment for future visits to Besaid."

"Well, I would certainly like that." I said, chuckling. "After all, I'm staying behind." Shuyin and Tidus turned serious at once. "C'mon, guys, I'm kidding. I know you'll visit me and all that. I'm not worried."

Their expressions softened, but still Tidus took a step in my direction, hugging me and planting a kiss on my forehead. "You say you're not, baby, but… I know you are."

"Tidus…"

"Listen, guys," Shuyin interrupted. "Everything's already packed and set to go. I can finish things around here. Why don't you go for a walk or something, huh?"

Tidus looked at me. "What do you say?"

"I don't know." I said, looking at my watch. "School's day almost over and Rikku must be getting home soon enough. She'll probably get worried about me. After all, we didn't leave a note or anything…"

"Yeah, you're right." Tidus agreed. However I could see he was a little disappointed. "Then maybe we should go to your house."

I put my arms around his waist. "Let's go just for a little bit and then let's be alone for awhile, okay?"

He smiled and bent down to kiss me. "Okay."

"Hey, hey!" Shuyin exclaimed. "You're making me jealous here!"

We laughed and broke apart. Then Tidus turned to his brother. "Hey, Shu, why don't you come with us? Our flight is in about four hours, there's time enough to go to Yuna's and then we can also visit Lulu and Wakka. We can't leave without saying goodbye to them."

"Sure." Shuyin replied. "But I'm not gonna be like a third wheel, am I?"

"Don't be silly, Shuyin!" I told him. "If your brother and I wanted to do something we wouldn't invite you to tag along, would we?"

"I guess not." He said, sticking out his tongue. "Well, in that case… let's get going 'cause I still have things to do around here."

A few minutes later we were driving through the city. Shuyin and I were catching up, for we hadn't had much time to talk lately, not even at the party. We were actually talking about the party — Shuyin was being very discreet, but I had the feeling Tidus had told him about us and the night we had shared together. We weren't talking about that, anyways, we were talking about… Lenne. After she had been with me and Tidus, she had gone to find Shuyin and to talk to him. Shuyin didn't exactly tell us what they had talked about, but somehow I sensed the conversation had gone well, for Shuyin was kind of relaxed and calm about it. He and Lenne hadn't made up, as some may have been expecting, but at least they were at peace with each other. I guess things would be easier for them from now on.

We arrived at my place and Tidus parked the car in the driveway. We got out of the car and climbed the front steps to the porch. Opening the door, I called out for Rikku. She came into vision a second later. "Yunie! Where have you been?"

"Hi, Rikster." Tidus greeted from behind me, one of his hands on the small of my back.

Rikku grinned widely and looked at me. "Oh, now I can see with _who_ you've been."

"What? Rikku!" I exclaimed.

"Kiddin'! Come in, you guys. Gippal's here too. We're watching a movie." She said, turning on her heels and reentering the living room.

Tidus and Shuyin followed her to the living room, but I climbed the stairs and entered my room to go get my cell phone, which I had forgotten there. I turned it on and put it in my pocket, descending the stairs again and joining the rest of them.

Tidus had saved me a place next to him. "Sit here, Yunie. It's okay, Rikku has found out, so we don't need to keep it a secret anymore."

I frowned, gazing at my cousin. "You found out? How?"

She smiled mischievously. "Well, you're the one who told me to lock my door, but apparently you forgot your own advice. I found you two together this morning when I went to wake you up. But it's okay, if you want to keep it a secret, Gippal and I won't tell."

I couldn't help but to smile; Rikku could be very sweet when she was in the mood. "I guess you don't have to keep it a secret. Tidus is leaving today anyways and—"

"You're leaving today?" Gippal asked, taken by surprise.

Tidus nodded, explaining, "Yeah, I need to go back to Zanarkand. The coach wants me there 'cause the Abes are gonna start training tomorrow and Shuyin's going to sign the contract and that kind of stuff."

Rikku looked a little sad. "I'm glad for you, Shuyin. But I'm kinda sad you guys have to go. I was loving to have you around!"

"Riks, I promise I'll visit you as often as I can, okay?" Tidus said, leaning forward and touching Rikku's knee.

"You said the same two years ago."

"Rikku…" I started. "There were many reasons why Tidus couldn't come to Besaid more frequently. Now's not the time to enumerate them, okay?"

She nodded silently. Gippal then asked, maybe to change the subject, "So, where are you gonna live in Zanarkand, Shuyin?"

Shuyin shrugged. "I'm gonna crash at Tidus' for a time. After all, I'm already used to live with him." He added, jokingly.

Tidus punched him playfully. "You meanie!"

We all laughed. After a few minutes though, Tidus and Shuyin decided it was time to visit Lulu and Wakka. Gippal and Rikku escorted us to the back door. "This is really goodbye again, isn't it?" Rikku asked, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Don't put it like that, kiddo." Tidus scratched the back of his head. "Remember a long time ago when you said you wanted to take a picture with me to show everyone I was your best friend?" Rikku nodded. "Well, I'm still your best friend, Riks. And I'm taking our photos with me, to show to the guys over there who's the hottest Al Bhed in Besaid."

"Hey, hey, hey! I don't want you to go and show off _my_ girlfriend!" Gippal interrupted, holding a grinning Rikku close to him. "She's hot but she's mine."

Tidus laughed. "Okay, Gippal, I won't show anyone Rikku's pictures. But… you have to promise me you'll take care of my little friend, huh? And… and her family." He ended up, glancing at me.

Gippal understood and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, man, I've got it covered."

Tidus nodded and then pulled Rikku into a tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you, Rikster. I still haven't found anyone funnier than you."

"Maybe one day I'll go and visit you. Maybe Yuna can take me there." Rikku said, winking slightly.

"Maybe, who knows?"

We made our way across the luxurious garden, where the first flowers were beginning to grow and open, and then Shuyin knocked on Lulu's back door. Wakka was the one to open it, little Vidina in his arms. "Shuyin, Tidus _and_ Yuna? What are ya guys doing here, ya?"

Shuyin smiled. "Aren't you even gonna let us in?"

"Sorry. Come in, of course. Lulu's in the living room, ya."

He waited for us to enter and then closed the door, guiding us to the living room (as if none of us had ever been in that house). Shuyin was right behind Wakka, but Tidus waited for me, reaching for my hand and taking it to his lips, before entwining our fingers. I smiled at him and nodded and we finally entered the living room, showing everyone we were together again with a simple gesture as holding hands. Lulu observed us intently and then smiled in my direction. I knew she wouldn't ask any questions — she knew it better than anyone else, she knew it from the beginning.

As the conversation went on, I took the time to watch my friends — Wakka holding the baby carefully, Lulu helping him out from time to time, in the most caring way. Little Vidina wasn't so little anymore; he had grown in the past few weeks and his red hair was a little longer so we could see it would be exactly like his father's. I smiled at this, imagining what it would be like when I would have kids of my own. Would they look like me or like Tidus? I cringed at this last thought. How could I be thinking of having kids with Tidus if he was going away again? Actually I didn't even know how long he would stay away this time, or if things would be different from the last. What made me believe that? If things hadn't worked out once, what made me so fiercely believe they would this time? I closed my eyes, trying to avoid these doubts that were filling my mind. I couldn't allow myself to think that way, for my doubts had been the reason why I had suffered so much in the past.

"You okay, baby?" Tidus whispered, gently caressing the back of my hand with his thumb. I opened my eyes and looked into his, so blue, so loving, so true…

"I'm fine. I love you."

He looked at me questioningly. "And I love you." He was about to say something else, but Wakka asked him a direct question and he turned his head to answer to his friend.

"We're so happy for you, Shuyin." Lulu said calmly, when we were already saying goodbye. "This is an excellent opportunity and I'm sure you'll be very successful. As for you, Tidus, I'm sorry you're going to leave again, but I hope this time it won't be for long." She hugged both brothers, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek. Then she turned to me. "I would like you to stay a bit longer, Yuna. I'd like to talk to you."

I frowned, but I nodded. "Of course, Lulu. I'll stay."

"Good, I'll wait for you inside." With that said, she and Wakka, who had said his farewells as well, moved back inside the house.

"Well, guys, I have to talk to Lulu, but…" I trailed off, looking from Tidus to Shuyin and back to Tidus.

"It's okay, Yunie." Tidus took a step in my direction, putting his arms around my waist. "Shuyin and I need to go… do something… on our own too. But I promise as soon as I finish it I'll be back for you."

I looked up into his eyes. "I want to be with you 'til the end, Tidus. But I also think that visiting your father's grave is something you must do on your own."

"How did you—?" He shook his head, with a smirk. "You know me too well…"

"I do. Now go." I said, kissing him one last time before entering the house again and closing the door behind me. Lulu was right there, waiting for me. "Lulu, you gave me a fright!"

"I'm sorry, dear." She said, warmly. "And I'm sorry I've asked you to stay, but I needed to know what you're going to do."

"What I'm going to do? What do you mean?"

"Well, Tidus is going back to Zanarkand and this time there's nothing to stop you from going with him." She explained, as we went back to the living room and sat on the couches. "You're not a minor anymore and… well, you're free to do whatever you want to. That's why I'm asking you what you're going to do."

I took a moment to respond, pondering her words. "I'm not going to do anything, Lulu. Tidus is going and I'm staying. He hasn't even mentioned if he would like me to go with him, so…"

"He hasn't, but I'm sure he will." Lulu replied. "I just want you to think about all the possibilities before making any decision. I know you, and I know Tidus. He's not sure how to ask you to go with him, but as the time urges, he will find a way. And you have to think it carefully before choosing, because any rushed decisions might either hurt him or others. That's why I want you to think it through."

I looked down at my hands and noticed the small Moogle approaching us and trying to climb the couch to go sit next to Lulu. She picked him up and sat him on her lap where he promptly fell asleep. He sure was a sweet thing. "You know, Vidina will be like that in no time." I told her.

"I know." She said, looking at the Moogle caringly. "But I have no rush; I'm enjoying every moment of being a mother. It's an indescribable feeling!"

"I'm sure it is. I think I'm going to like to have kids one day."

At that moment, Paine entered the living room. "Hey, Yuna. I'm glad you're here 'cause I have an invitation for you."

"Really? What is it?" I asked, curious, as Paine sat next to me.

"I have tickets for this concert that's taking place tonight and I was wondering if you'd want to come with me."

"Well, Paine, tonight… I don't think I can go. Tidus is leaving tonight." I explained.

"Oh." Paine responded. "I didn't know."

"Yeah, I've only found out today too, so… Anyways, I'm sorry I can't go with you."

"No problem, I understand." She stayed quiet for a moment and then asked suddenly, looking me in the eye. "Are you going with him?"

"What! No! I mean… Have you two talked about this?" I questioned, wondering if they had previously decided to ask me the same exact question.

Lulu shook her head. "No, we haven't. But as you can see, I'm not the only one who knows you well. We're just wondering, Yuna."

"I'm not going with Tidus." I said firmly. "I love him and I wish I could be with him… forever. But I'm not going. College isn't over yet, I can't drop out just like that. And… I can't go to Zanarkand, I just can't."

"Okay." Paine simply said. But I wasn't finished.

"I can't go 'cause I'm afraid of what I might find in Zanarkand. Tidus has a past in Zanarkand, a past that I know nothing about. And if I… well, if I was there I would want to know everything and I would end up with more knowledge than I could bear… I know it, I just know it. So I rather stay here and pretend it never happened."

"You and Tidus?" Paine raised one eyebrow.

I shook my head. "No. Tidus and Zanarkand."

-----XX-----

I looked at my watch. It was almost time for Tidus and Shuyin to leave. We were already in the airport — despite everything, I wanted to be with him until the moment he entered the ship. He had his arm around my waist, holding me close to him, so close I could feel his chest rising and falling with each breath. He didn't want to let me go. I didn't want to let him go either, but I had made my choice — I had decided to stay. Lulu was right, he had asked me to go with him. I had declined his offer, telling him I couldn't leave everything behind just like that.

"It doesn't have to be tonight" He had said, our breaths mingling. "It can be anytime you want. I just can't stand being away from you again, not being able to touch you, to feel you, to love you…"

"I know it's hard, Tidus. It's hard for me too. I love you so much." I had replied, running my hand through his hair. "But I can't go, you know it. I have to stay and finish school and watch over Rikku and make sure she's alright. Oh Yevon, I'll miss you so much."

It had been a hard conversation, because neither of us wanted to have it. We didn't want to part ways again.

"Promise me." I whispered. "Promise me this time things will be different."

"I thought you didn't want any promises." He joked.

"I changed my mind."

He turned serious again. "I promise. I promise you I'll do everything I can to make you happy and I promise you you'll always be my one and only. Come what may."

I looked at him adoringly. How could I resist the urge of going with him? How could I deny that being apart from him would kill me again? I simply couldn't. "You know what, baby, when summer comes and I'm on vacation, I'll visit you, okay? I promise you this."

He smiled. "When summer comes I'll be in Luca for the Tournament. But you can go watch one of my games. I would love that."

"Okay, then. I'll go watch every game."

And now here we were, waiting for the ship to get ready to take them. Tidus didn't want me to go with them to the airport — it was dark, I would be alone on my way back home, there would be dangers… I had told him he was silly and I would be okay, as long as I could be with him one more minute. That minute was coming to an end.

"Everything's ready to go." Shuyin said, approaching us. Then he looked at me directly and extended his arms in my direction. "Come here, lil' sis."

I took a step forward and fell into his awaiting arms, holding his tightly against me. "I wish you the best luck in the world, Shu. You deserve it so much. I'm sure you'll be very happy."

"Thank you, Yuna. You'll be very happy too, you'll see. Tidus is the best you could have and… I'll take care of him in Zanarkand, don't worry." He added.

"I know you will. You always have."

Shuyin nodded and moved away to give us some privacy. I looked at Tidus, who was already gazing at me. If I thought that saying goodbye to Shuyin had been too hard, then saying goodbye to Tidus was completely impossible. He raised his hand and caressed my cheek, his eyes so deep, so sad… "Are you sure you don't wanna come? There's still time to call your uncle."

"I wish I could… This is killing me. But I can't."

"You can't or you won't?"

I allowed one tear to slide down my face. "Both."

He nodded and pulled me to him, embracing me like there was no tomorrow — the fact was that there was no tomorrow. "You'll be on my mind, always."

"Same here. I'll be impatiently waiting for summer to come." I responded, reminding him and myself that this wasn't a permanent separation.

"Me too." He kissed me softly on the lips and I had the strangest feeling of _dejá vu_, like I was reliving that fatidic day from almost three years ago, when he had left for Zanarkand, leaving my life upside down. He parted from me but I kept holding him, feeling that if I would let go he would never come back. He kissed me again. "I have to go."

"And I have to stay."

"I promise I'll see you sooner than you expect."

"Don't make me promises you can't keep."

"I promise I'll keep this one."

I smiled. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, silly." One last kiss. Then he took a step back and said softly. "Go, Yunie. I don't want you to have to watch me leave again. Go, please."

I nodded and climbed into my car, turning on the engine and driving away as fast as I could, as the tears fell down my face. I didn't look back, but soon enough I heard the engines of the ship right above me and I looked up, watching as the ship flew through the night sky.

-----XX-----

I lied down and closed my eyes. It had been a very long day. My mind raced through the day's events and finally settled on one single thought: Tidus. He was probably flying over Luca by now, which meant he had already discovered the small box I had put in his pocket before he left. I could imagine him at that very moment, opening it and softly holding my necklace in his hands, staring at it with his sweet cerulean eyes… That necklace had been so important throughout my whole life that I couldn't help feeling a little awkward without it, like I was less protected. But I did not regret for one single moment my decision of giving it to Tidus; it just felt like the right thing to do, to let him have a memory of me, by giving him something that meant so much to me. It was my most precious possession and that was precisely what I wanted Tidus to have… He would understand the meaning of the necklace…

Along with the necklace, I had sent him a small note:

_I know you don't need anything to remember me, but just in case… _

_I just wanted you to have part of me with you._

_Forever yours, come what may,_

_Yuna._

Oh Yevon, I would miss him so much! Yet this was how things were supposed to be. I knew I had made the right decision.

Feeling a sudden inspiration to write something, I grabbed the notebook which was always on my nightstand. It slipped from my hand and fell to the floor, opening itself. I picked it up and looked at the poem in the open page before me. It was a poem I had written so long ago, when my heart was black with sadness and sorrow.

_Sometimes I break down but you're never there,_

_You want me to love you even when you don't care_

_You always promised things that you can't keep_

_You always said come what may, but_

_Now I realize that come what may is just what happens._

_Did you ever care? Did you ever love me?_

_Those questions linger in my head,_

_My heart does not break because it's already broken._

_You just wanted your dreams to come true,_

_But you always said that I was all you wanted._

_But now I see that you can't have everything,_

_And you chose your dreams over me._

_I used to believe that this world was built for you and me,_

_But now I see that love is just another leaf in this pond._

_I will never fall for you,_

_I will never cry in front of you._

_I will keep my fighting face on so you will never see_

_That heartbreak._

I put the notebook down; I wasn't inspired anymore. That poem had somehow depressed me and yet there was a part of me that was kind of happy because I knew things had turned out so differently from what I thought they would be back when I had written that. I had been so wrong. But now I knew that things would be alright.

_I will be alright, Tidus._ I thought, looking to the night sky._ I promise I'll be alright. Come what may.

* * *

_

A/N: Yep, Tidus left for Zanarkand and Yuna stayed behind. I'm kind of sorry for them, but maybe things will be better in the epilogue :-P Tell me what you thought of this chapter, guys, I'll be waiting. See ya. Alexx.

PS: The poem in this chapter is called _Heartbreak_ and was written by Cherry-Blossom-Theif-Slamlam-17. It's also in this site as an independent poem so check it out. As for me, I just want to say, thank you, Slamlam :)


	27. Epilogue: Come what may

A/N: Finally, the Epilogue :)

* * *

_**Epilogue**_

_**Come what may**_

"Yunie, Gippal and I are leaving now! Are you sure you don't wanna come with us?"

I looked at the door, where Rikku was standing with her arms folded across her chest, her beautiful green dress matching her swirled eyes, make-up perfectly applied and hair pulled up in a mess of braids and loosen strands. "You look absolutely stunning, sweetie." I told her with a smile. She frowned and I added, answering her question, "Yes, I'm sure I don't wanna go with you. I still have to go get dressed and all that stuff, so… Don't worry though ― I'll be there on time."

Her expression softened a bit. "Okay then… I'll see you there!"

I nodded and she left the room as I lied down again, staring at the ceiling and hearing her high-heels clicking on the wooden steps. A few seconds later I heard the front door closing and I sighed deeply, getting up and heading to the shower.

Two months had passed since Tidus had left to Zanarkand again. Two long months… I had been missing him like crazy, wanting to hear his voice, to breathe his scent, to feel his touch… We called each other often, but because of the time difference we could never speak for too long ― just a moment to hear the other's voice and then long letters sent to tell everything that wasn't said during the calls. Blitz season had started again, with the beginning of the spring, and this time I didn't miss one single game, always cheering for the Abes right next to Rikku. Actually, to watch the Abes' games was the only way I could see Tidus now; at least until I would meet him again… I could hardly wait for that moment to come, but while I had to wait I was focusing on my studies, and I had also found a job. It was only a part-time, but it paid good cash and I had to save money so I could go and meet Tidus.

I stepped out of the shower and returned to my room, where I began to dress myself up ― a sleeveless turquoise dress, white high-heeled sandals, a little bit of make-up, one last touch to the hair, silver earrings and bracelets… When I was ready I looked myself in the full-length mirror and nodded in approval. Today was little Vidina's baptism in the religion of Yevon and Wakka had invited everyone to be there on this important day.

I grabbed my white purse and walked down the stairs, ready to go to Lulu's, but something caught my eye on my way out. _Rikku must've forgotten to turn off the TV again…_ I thought, walking into the living room and searching for the remote control.

"And now it's time for the Blitzball news with Allora. Allora, what can you tell us?" The deep voice of the journalist made me look up.

A pretty young girl appeared on screen at that moment. The scenery behind her was the one of a huge _waterpool_, where a few guys were practicing blitzball moves. They were wearing the Zanarkand Abes' equipment. "Well, Vargg, all I can say is that the Championship will be hard this year. All teams want to win, but the Zanarkand Abes won't give the title up so easily, especially now that they've got this new fantastic player: Shuyin. This talented young man came from Besaid two months ago and, although very little is known about his past, we know this ― he is the son of Jecht, one of the biggest players in the history of the Zanarkand Abes, and also Tidus' brother. It seems that talent is something that runs in the family, Vargg. Anyways, Shuyin's been doing an incredible job, but Tidus hasn't been showing up much, what makes us wonder what's happening with out favorite star…"

_Tidus hasn't been showing up much?_ I asked myself, frowning. I knew everything was okay with him, for I had called him last night, but could he be hiding something from me to keep me from worrying? I seriously doubted that ― Tidus had never been good at keeping secrets from me, and if something was wrong he would certainly tell me… wouldn't he?

I turned off the television and walked to the back door, making my way through the garden to Lulu's house. Paine was the one who greeted me, wearing an elegant suit ― I think I will never see Paine wearing a dress… We stayed chatting for a little while and then Nooj joined us. He was alone, for LeBlanc had gone to her mother's third wedding, but he had decided he would go to Vidina's baptism instead. "I couldn't miss it or Paine would kill me." He explained, jokingly.

"You're forgetting I would torture you first." Paine said calmly, making us laugh.

"Yeah, I know. But then again, this kid is almost family." He continued. "Besides, I'm sure there'll be other weddings. LeBlanc's mom is always collecting new husbands, so…"

I laughed again, stepping away to meet Rikku and Gippal, who were talking near the catering table. After two months they were still together, and they hadn't had one single fight since then ― well, they had had some minor fights but that was normal to any couple ― and they were happier than ever. Gippal, always known as a ladies man, was being very loyal and faithful to my cousin. Rikku, in turn, had confessed to me that she was beginning to think of taking the next step in the relationship. Their love seemed to be growing strong.

"Hey, Yuna, your cousin was already all stressed up because you weren't here…" Gippal said as soon as I approached them.

"Well, Riks, you don't have to freak out. I told you I would be here on time." I replied. "I just needed to get some rest before, that's all."

"I know. But you know I don't like to leave you all alone…" She whined, not looking at me.

"I know." I said, smiling at her.

"Well, ladies, if you'll excuse me, I'll be right back." Gippal said, pecking Rikku on the cheek and walking towards Paine and Nooj. Baralai joined them soon after and I smiled, seeing the Crimson Squad together once again. There had been a time when things had been very complicated between Baralai and Paine. When I had talked to Baralai a few weeks before, he had even revealed to me he was thinking of leaving Besaid and returning to Bevelle.

"If I stay here I'll only be bothering Paine and the last thing I wanna do is to make her suffer in any way. Maybe, if I'll go to Bevelle, things will be easier." He had said with a sad look in his eyes.

"I don't think things would be easier, Lai. I think things will only be easier if you and Paine sit and talk about this. You have to work things out." I had replied, feeling my heart heavy with his words. I didn't want Baralai to leave, he had become one of my best friends in the past months and I would miss him a lot if he left…

A week later, though, Baralai had changed his mind. Apparently, it had reached Paine's ears that he was thinking of leaving and she had taken the matter in her own hands. She had gone to talk to him and after a long conversation they had finally realized they couldn't get back what they had lost, that the innocent friendship they had once shared could never be reached again. Yet, there was still a strong feeling that kept them together and it was more than attraction or desire… The passion they had felt for each other had changed over the years and now it was something not even them could describe… Maybe it was a different kind of friendship. Nevertheless, it was the chance they had both been seeking for sometime now and they had decided to take it and to try and be friends like they had once been. So far, their decision seemed to be the right one… At least from the outside, it was very good to see those four friends together again.

"Gippal's very happy that Paine and Baralai made up." Rikku stated, following my gaze. "He didn't show but he was very upset with this whole story. He never told me exactly what had happened, but… I knew it was something that bothered him…"

"Yeah." I agreed, thinking that the whole story was something none of us would ever know; Paine and Baralai were both too discreet and I also believed that their story was something they wanted to keep to themselves. "Anyways, I'm just glad they're all happy."

Rikku nodded and then added, as an after thought, "Talking 'bout being happy… Have you talked to Lenne lately? I was listening to the radio today and her song came up. It's very good and it's already a big hit all across Spira!"

I smiled broadly. It was true ― the song I had written for Lenne was making an enormous success and it had been number one on the tops for three weeks now. Lenne was so very happy with her work. She had started to record her album in Besaid, but her producer had thought it was better if they transferred the recording to Luca, where they had better conditions. She had moved to a small apartment in Luca almost two months ago and her first single, _1000 _words, had just gone out a few weeks before. We had kept in touch, and she had even asked me if I wanted to write her another song, due to the hit the first one had been. I had laughed and had told her it was something I had to think really carefully about ― though it felt very good to have my name on her single, as the songwriter of the song, I wasn't really ready to repeat the experience just yet. Maybe some day later…

"Yeah, I talked to her a couple of days ago." I answered Rikku. "She's very happy in Luca, she's thinking of staying there another year or so, while recording the rest of the album… Then, who knows? She can return to Besaid or go somewhere else… Anyways, she's going to stay there until after the summer and I'm seriously thinking of visiting her during our vacation. Blitzball Tournament is going to take place in Luca, as you know, and I…" I trailed off, smiling shyly.

Rikku noticed my blushing and grinned mischievously. "Blitzball Tournament… Right. And also a hot blonde blitzer, lemme guess…"

"What can I say?" I replied. Then my smile widened and I lowered my voice. "I have a secret to tell you, Riks."

Rikku eyed me closely, curiosity stamped in her green swirls. "What?"

"Girls! You look lovely. How ya doing?" Wakka approached us, smiling from cheek to cheek.

"Thanks, Wakka." I thanked him, interrupting what I was about to tell my cousin and looking up.

"This party is gonna be great, ya! This is such an important day to my little boy…" His eyes were bright and he looked so happy…

"Where is he?" I asked, looking around the room, where people were friendly chatting.

"He's with his mother, ya. They must be coming down in no time."

Wakka was right, a few seconds later Lulu was coming down with Vidina. Everyone wanted to see the baby, everyone wanted to congratulate the parents… In the middle of the confusion, I got separated from Rikku and unable to tell her my little secret. Well, it really didn't matter, she would end up knowing sooner or later…

After greeting everyone, Lulu and Wakka told us it was time to go to the temple, where the ceremony was taking place. It was a simple thing, not taking too long, and yet it was something beautiful, very meaningful, full of emotion… It made me think of the first time I had been in that very same temple — I was about seven years old and my mother, who was still alive back then, took me to visit her family in Besaid. She was already ill at the time, but I didn't know it, so I thought that that had been the most wonderful trip ever and that I would never forget it. And I never did, because that was the last time I ever journeyed with my mother, for she died during the winter. Now that I think about it, I think she took me to Besaid so she could say goodbye to her brother and to his children, maybe she wanted to be with them one last time, maybe she wanted me to get to know the place where she had grown up…

When the ceremony ended, everyone went back to Lulu's house. This time, Paine and Rikku came with me in the car and I decided it was the perfect occasion to tell them what I had been planning for several days now…

"Girls…" I started, my eyes fixed on the road ahead, my mind racing to find the right way to say it.

"Yes?" Paine asked, turning her head to look at me.

"I've got something to tell you…"

"Is that what you were gonna say to me when Wakka interrupted us?" Rikku, who was seated in the back, put her hands on the front seats and leaned forward.

"Actually, it is." I answered. "I've been meaning to tell you for sometime now, but… I don't know, I guess I was trying to find the better way to do it."

"So, what is it?" Rikku insisted.

"Well… I'm leaving." I waited for their replies but Paine was just staring at me and Rikku had her jaw dropped, so I continued after a short pause, "As you know, I've been working and saving some money and when I get paid, next week, I'm gonna buy a ticket to Zanarkand… I know I said I didn't want to go there, but being away from Tidus is so much worse than going to Zanarkand. That's why I decided to try it. I'm not planning on staying there forever, of course, 'cause I still have exams at school, but… I'm seriously thinking of moving to Zanarkand next year. There are a lot of good colleges there and I'm going to ask to be transferred to one of them."

Silence. I didn't even dare looking at them, afraid of they would say. I wasn't asking their advice or their approval, but in someway I was asking them to support me and my decision. They were the first to know, right after Lulu, who had been the first person I had gone to when I had decided to go to Zanarkand. I had talked to her a few weeks before and I had told her I wanted to leave immediately, because I couldn't stand the distance. She had been the reasonable person she always was and she had said to me "What is truly yours will be yours now and always." Only then did I realize how right she was, and that I couldn't just leave without planning anything first. So I had begun saving money to the journey and checking my agenda to see when it was the best time to go without interfering too much with my studies… And now that it was all set, I was telling Rikku and Paine.

"You're sure about this, aren't you?" Paine finally asked, eyeing attentively.

I glanced at her. "Yes, I am. When Tidus left for the first time I would have given anything to go with him. This time I can actually go, so… What am I still doing here?"

"I don't want you to go, Yunie…" Rikku murmured, tears forming on her eyes. "But I want you to be as happy as I am with Gippy, and I know you're only that happy when you're with Tidus, so… I wish you the best luck in Zanarkand."

"If I could, I would hug you right now, Rikku!" I told her, smiling. "It means so much to me that you understand why I'm doing this."

"I understand you, Yuna." Paine said. "I think people should fight for their happy ending. Don't make the same mistakes I made."

I nodded and stretched out my hand. She held it and Rikku put her hand on top of ours. The three of us would always be together, no matter where life would take us. After all, we were the Yuripa…

Back at Lulu's, there was soft music playing and some people even began to dance. I smiled at the old couple in the middle of the room, wondering if Tidus and I would be like them when we would reach that age. Then I saw Lulu and came near her, congratulating her for the reception she was holding.

"Oh, it's nothing big. But thank you anyway." She replied. Then she looked around. "You know, to Wakka this was very important… He really wanted Vidina to follow our religion."

"It's understandable. He is a very good father." I complimented.

"Well, he's a very good father to Vidina. But do you think he can handle another kid?" Lulu asked, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

I looked at her. "You're telling me you're… pregnant again?"

She shook her head, still smiling. "No, I'm not pregnant… yet. Wakka and I have been talking and we're thinking of having one more baby. Maybe next year you'll have to fly from Zanarkand to come and see my baby daughter, who knows?"

"I'd do it gladly, you know it." I said, hugging my friend.

"Yes, I do. Now, let me go check on my son. It's not like him to be this quiet…" Lulu said, walking away from me.

Suddenly, the song _1000 words_ started playing. I smiled, recognizing Lenne's amazing voice. "Lenne really is an excellent singer." I said to myself in a low voice.

"And you really are an excellent songwriter." I heard a familiar voice saying from behind me. I froze, unable to turn around.

"Is this a dream? If I turn around will you be gone?" I asked, my voice trembling, my eyes bright with tears.

"I'm not going anywhere." The same masculine voice replied.

I turned on my heels and there he was, standing so tall and handsome in a black tuxedo, his blonde hair falling to his eyes as always. I smiled, meeting his intense gaze. "Tidus… What are you doing here?"

"I was just passing by and…" He trailed off, looking lovingly at me. Suddenly he held out his hand. "I think you owe me a dance."

"Do I?" I asked. He nodded and I took his hand, saying softly, "I think I do." We started to dance, gently swaying to the music. I looked up at him and bit my lip. "Why are you here, Tidus? Is everything okay? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Actually, there is something I need to tell you. But first… Do you love me, Yuna?" He asked out of the blue.

I blinked. "Of course I love you. What makes you think I don't? I adore you, Tidus. Do you really think I would've done all the things I've done — fight with you, make up with you, write a song for you… sleep with you — if I didn't love you? The answer is no, silly. I do love you. I've loved you since the day I've laid my eyes on you."

"Really?" He insisted, grinning broadly.

I nodded. "Really. And a thousand words are not enough to express my feelings for you." I finished, kissing him fully on the lips, my arms snaking around his neck and his hands pulling me closer to him.

When we parted, Tidus said, still smirking. "Let's go home, Yuna."

"Home?" I repeated, not understanding if he meant my home.

"That's what I need to tell you." He ran a hand through his hair. "I… You know Shuyin's doing an incredible job at Zanarkand and… well, I thought that maybe it was time for me to take a break and… I quit the Abes."

"You what?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, I quit the team. And I bought a house… here in Besaid. A couple of blocks away from here. It's not right next to Rikku's but it's close enough and… Do you wanna live with me?"

I looked at him, not knowing what to say. He had given up on his dream to be with me, to live with me? He had even bought a house… "Of course I wanna live with you!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him. Then I took a step back, my smile fading. "But Tidus… the Abes were your dream…"

"Nah. _You_ were my dream. And I almost let you slip away… I won't make the same mistake twice. I love you too much to do that."

"What can I say?" I bit my lip to avoid crying in front of everybody.

"You don't have to say anything. I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy. I'm the happiest girl in the whole world right now!" I kissed him again. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." He replied. "Now, do you wanna go see the house? It's not far away."

"And leave in the middle of the party?"

"Wakka and Lulu wouldn't mind. Besides, now we have all the time in the world to visit them. After all, I'm planning on staying in Besaid for many, many years to come…"

"Okay then." I agreed with a grin.

As we sneaked out through the back, I knew that there were many explanations we would have to give… But that could be saved for later. Right now, I just wanted to enjoy the moment that I was living in. I felt on heaven, walking hand in hand with Tidus. I could hardly believe that this was happening to me. And yet, I knew it was. Because, like Auron had once said, every story must have and ending and this was my happy one. Come what may.

The end

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. This is the end, and Tidus and Yuna are together again, as they should always be.

Thank you so much for all the support you've given me. It's been very important to me, thanks. :)

Now I'm going on vacation for two months, and I won't be back until September, so… I'll see you when I'll see you.

Peace. Alexx.


End file.
